I Guess That's Life
by IWasDroppedOnMyHeadAsABaby
Summary: I'm just a normal guy. Sure my mom keeps mistaking me as her dead husband, my best friend just ran away to come here, I know the Capitol secretly lives, and I have a night job I don't like to mention. But other than that, I'm completely normal. Right?
1. Chapter 1

**Ok here's my story, sorry if it sucks. Review no matter what. Got it? Good.**

Chapter 1

I stared at the pack of gum for about two hours. My mom was throwing another one of her fits. Sometimes I could coax her out of them. Sometimes she'd scream at me that I was a ghost. Today was one of those days. She would sit there hands clamped over her ears trying to block out something. The Hunger Games, she was trying to block out the Hunger Games. I knew what these dreaded games were; a fight to the death for a hungry capitol's amusement. I silently laughed and shook my head at my little pun. My mom was a victor in these games, now she's emotionally disturbed. My dad, now dead, was also a victor.

My mom looked up at me, "Are you laughing at me Finnick? Are you here?" She looked almost happy, even if she did think I was laughing at her.

I hated to day after day be the one to tell her this, "Nope, Finnick's dead. Died in the rebellion. By mutts. I'm his son, I'm your son."

She looked at me, hearing my voice but not my words. She crossed the room to reach me and took my hand in hers to press it against her cheek, "Say my name, please."

"Mom, I really don't feel comfortable when you…" She started bawling. She curled up in her little ball, clamping her ears again. Now the screaming would begin, unless I did something, "Annie, the games are over it is okay I'm here, I'm here."

She looked up and smiled, "Finnick, you're here," she took me into an embrace.

I instantly backed away, grabbed my school bag, and left. My mom's constant confusion in whether I'm her son or her husband bothers me. Who wouldn't be bothered? It's disgusting. I guess it doesn't help much that I'm a 'spitting image' of him. I listened to my mom's heart pained pleas as I left, "Finnick, please, come back Finnick!"

I sighed and said over my shoulder, "It's Nick." Then I muttered to myself to make sure it was true, "It's Nick, just Nick." I dropped the 'Finn' part of my name several years ago when my mom started recognizing me as my father instead of her son. This cut back some of the confusion.

I got to school late, as usual. There were the usual girl's who'd decide to run late with me. I think they thought it gave us some connection. Creepy stalkers. I walked to the office while staring at my feet, trying to avoid the wide-eyed stares I receive. Lucy, the… well to put it nicely, the school slut, came up and walked beside me. "You never answer my calls."

I just nod, I don't even know how she got my number.

"You know, I could give you a really great time." She got up on her tip-toes to whisper in my ear in what she thought to be a provocative voice. To be honest it nearly made me gag. "You have to loose it sometime Nick, so tell me, why not with me?"

I didn't mean to smile, I really didn't. I just never thought of Lucy as attractive before. And her ignorance bothered me. But most everyone was ignorant. No one knew that I wasn't a virgin. No one knew that I was 'getting some' nearly every day. Everyone thought I was the, and I quote 'smoking hot beast with a purity ring'. The ring's for show. It comforts me and wards off most girls. "So tell me Nick, do you want to meet up after school or do you want to run back home to Mommy?"

I had to physically slap myself to get the image out of my head. Run back home to Mommy. Did she know my mom kept mistaking me for my father? No she couldn't. So far I've been able to avoid my mom on days where she thought I was Finnick. I've been able to avoid her 'putting the moves on me'. I shivered at the way she held me this morning. Then I said to myself, "I won't be going home today." Those words were meant just for me, but I could tell by her shocked expression that she had heard them, and taken them the wrong way.

She put her hands deep in my pant pockets and whispered in my ear, "Meet me behind the gym," before she pulled away she gave my ear a nibble and walked away.

I wasn't going to meet up with her of course, I twisted the ring around and around my finger. I stared at it for a long time, my life is a joke. Just one big fat lie. There was a distant voice behind me, "Hey whore." I turned my head to see my offender but sheepishly turned away as I realized the words were meant for Lucy.

I walked over to the office and picked up my tardy slip. As usual I went through the day in silence, avoiding sideways glances and batting of the eyes from numerous girls. As usual I avoided my locker until the very end of the day. I held my breath while I put in the combination. Please not today, I can't deal with this today! Just my luck, today is just one of those days. I pull off the outfit from the hook in my locker. I sweep over it with my eyes. Apparently today at the usual time, on the train at 6 o clock sharp, I get to be a, what is this outfit exactly, a miner? Needless to say, it's a hardhat, shorts, and suspenders. I laugh, why do these costumes never include a shirt? This must be illegal, at least it should be, I'm fifteen for crying out loud. "Hey Whore." I know this time the words were directed at me. But the tone is softer and joking. I turn with a huge grin on my face. By the edge of the woods, right next to my locker, stands the most beautiful girl I could imagine. She's the only one I confide in, the only one who truly gets me. Well, she should seeing how she too is the child of a Hunger Game victor, two actually. The daughter of the mockingjay, "Hey Prim. Yes, today I'm a whore." She giggles half-heartedly as I lift up my costume.

"Hot," but I know she doesn't mean it. She too puts up with this. We both carry on the traditions of my father. The forced prostitution for a crazy government's pleasure. Oh, I almost forgot to mention it. The capitol secretly lives. Just as powerful as ever, if not more so that they're out of enemies' sight.

"I can't believe you came Prim, to 4, from district 12, it's quite a walk."

"Yeah well, I plan on staying for a while. Help keep your mom out of your hair." She ruffled my shaggy bronze hair, her touch gave me chills.

"So how long is a while?" I scowl, I have always like her parents, Katniss and Peeta and even her little brother. But I know she has problems dealing with them, with keeping them too close when she knows any instance the Capitol can take them away. They of course don't know it still exists but almost every victor's kid over age 13 does.

"I want to move here, go to this school, keep an eye on you, you know. When we last talked on the phone, well you didn't sound too good. I can help you out."

I nod, I love the thought of having her around. I think she still believes that what the capitol uses to threaten me is to take away my mom. What she doesn't know is that I'm scared they'll take her, my lovely Primrose.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hope you guys like it, and trust me, it will get more of a plot.**

Chapter 2

Prim made me walk with her to the office so she could enroll in school. The women behind the desk looked over her with jealous eyes. Who wouldn't be jealous of Prim? She had beautiful golden hair that fell in long loose curls. She had lovely almond shaped eyes that changed color between a deep blue and a sharp gray, depending on her mood. Her skin was a rich cream color with ever so lightly dotted freckles across her nose and cheeks. She looks like she could have come from a beach, but not in a hot or sexy way. No, the only words I can think of when I see Prim are beautiful, gorgeous. Don't get me wrong, she's got a wicked body, you can ask any number of male Capitol residents to confirm that. But her body isn't what draws me in; it's her smile, the never ending feeling of calm and peace that radiates off her body. She truly is gorgeous.

The women repositioned her glasses and looked at me then back to Prim, "What can I do for you?" her voice was nasally I think it was from how high she stuck her nose in the air.

"I would like to enroll in this school," Prim said with her brilliant smile.

The women took a deep breath, taking extra care to puff out her chest in my direction, "It's mid semester I'm afraid you can't."

Prim made a distressed face, I knew she was acting. She always knew how to play people to get what she wanted. She blew her hair out of her face, bit her lip, and looked toward the ceiling like she was about to cry, "Well, there must be something I can do. I mean, I don't want to end up like my mom, a school drop-out starving to death back in twelve," yes, Prim could lie amazingly. She then pretended to be muttering to herself but made sure the women would be able to hear her, "Starving, couldn't even afford to feed me, so she sends me here with Auntie. Can't even take care of her own daughter. Well, she can't not after what happened to the baby, he was so little. It's not fair," she let out a whimper and wiped crocodile tears from her eyes.

I did my best to hide my smile as I noted that Prim was not playing the women, but the principal behind a glass window. He had his door propped open and would have heard everything Prim just said. He stepped out and wrapped Prim up into a hug, "Shh, don't cry. We'll get you into school child. I won't let that happen to you."

Prim took a step back and wiped the remaining tears from her face, "Really? You'd do that? For me? Just any little girl?"

"Of course, of course." He nudged the women behind the desk aside and went to work at the computer, "So what grade are you in?"

"I'm a sophomore," she said with an intentional hiccup. I eyed her over, this too was a lie. I could feel her screaming at me to keep my mouth shut with her now gray eyes.

The man continued typing, "And what's your name sweetheart?"

"Prim, Prim Rose."

He smiled, "How cute, first name Prim, last name Rose. You know, you look really familiar, like I've seen… not you but somebody who looks a lot like you."

I held my breath, if they found out she was not Prim Rose but Primrose Rue Mellark, daughter of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, they would send her back to twelve. It was very obvious she was Peeta's daughter. I stood there praying the man wouldn't notice.

After what felt like an eternity, Prim finally spoke up, "Yeah, I get that a lot."

The man smiled and finished typing. Then he handed her some forms and gave her a piece of paper with a combination on it and assigned her the locker right next to mine. I helped her grab her books and we walked out the door. It was warm today, even if it was the middle of November.

She smiled up at me, "That wasn't so hard was it?"

"Why'd you say you were a sophomore?"

"Because I wanted classes with you. Besides I can pass as a Sophomore can't I?" She held out her arms encouraging me to take in her womanly figure.

"Prim, you just turned fourteen, you should be in eighth grade. Don't you think the classes might be a little hard?"

"Oh, don't be so uptight Nicky, if I'm having trouble, you can tutor me."

"When would we have time to tutor?"

Her face turned white and she muttered under her breath, "On the train ride into the Capitol."

I didn't really say much else to her until we got to her locker. I took the remaining books from her arms as she struggled with the lock. She humorously laughed and pulled something out to show me. It was a short, shimmering, gold dress. "Looks like the capitol figured out I'm here," she gave me a wink and stuffed it into her bag.

I punched my locker, "It's not fair!" she eyed me over in confusion, "I just mean that you're so young, you shouldn't have to do this."

Her eyes turned dark gray again, "Nobody should have to do this Nick. Besides I'm use to it, you should be too."

It's sad that she's use to this. She shouldn't be. The Capitol started selling her at the youngest age I'd heard of from all the Victor's children. They started her up at eleven, I came in a close second at age twelve. I shut my eyes tightly as I remembered the day I met her.

We started going to the capitol the same day. I stepped aboard the train, tugging at the uncomfortable clothes I was in. Then I saw her, huddled on the train's couch, trying to keep warm. She wore a black see-through gown that barely covered her rear. She looked so beautiful, even at that age. So grown-up, yet so little. I guess beauty really has its price.

She looked up at me. I actually watched as her eyes turned from gray to blue. "You look ridiculous," she giggled. She stood up to shake my hand. She tugged at her dress to make it less revealing. "Hi, I'm Primrose, but you can call me Prim."

"I'm Finnick, but you can call me Nick," I quickly added the last part. I had only changed my name two weeks before and still forgot to introduce myself that way at times, "Why are you so…happy?" I questioned.

"Because I get to see the Capitol, I thought it no longer existed, but I've still heard stories of its beauty." She gave me an overwhelming smile, "So why are you so gloomy?"

I tried to soak up her positive attitude. I tried to look on the bright side like she was, then it hit me, "You don't know why were going to the capitol do you?"

She clasped her hands together and swayed back and forth on the balls of her feet. She blushed and gave me the smile all over again, "The train conductor said it's because I'm pretty." She giggled, "I guess that means you're pretty too."

I sighed, she was oblivious. The Capitol workers guided us off the train and took us to different houses. I tried to shut that night out of my mind, but I'll never forget the terrified face of the little girl the next morning when we met back on the train. Her eyes were wide with fright; she instantly curled up onto my lap and just cried until we got back to district 4 where I had to get off. As I left I heard her whisper, "Today's my birthday."

"No, nobody should have to go through this Prim," I said, snapping myself back to reality.

I focused my eyes back on her instead of in the distance. She was holding the dress up to herself trying to imagine what it would look like on, "I don't know, this one's kind of cute. It's kind of cool we get to keep the clothes."

I looked over both our skimpy outfits, "Oh yeah, so cool," I said sarcastically. "If only everyday outfits didn't include shirts."

She shrugged, "Hey, I never said I'd wear the stuff in public, but playing dress-up is fun."

I sighed, she really was use to this life. My attention turned behind me as I heard my name, my full name, "Hey Finnick, who's this?" It was Lucy.

She walked over and put her hand on my chest. I watched her stare down Prim. Prim just glared right back. Lucy turned her attention to me, "You were suppose to meet me today," she nibbled my ear again.

Prim walked over, completely ignoring Lucy. She curled her hands into loose fists and put them on my chest. She looked at me under her long dark lashes sheepishly. As if she didn't know if she should or not, she got on her toes and kissed me. When she pulled away I could still taste her, still feel her soft, smooth lips. Then I thought of how many Capitol guys she probably did this with, why she kept on getting sent back. She left everybody wanting more. She spoke in a low whisper, close enough for me to feel her warm breath on my lips, "We should go," She finger-laced my hand in hers and we walked away from a jaw-dropped Lucy. When we were out of hearing distance she pulled away from me and started cracking up, "Did you see her face?" yup, so it wasn't real, at all, I was just part of another one of her jokes.

I played along and laughed with her, "Yeah, priceless."

She got back into position with her hands on my chest, her face extremely close to mine, "I learned this move from Sanders."

"Is he the one from 6?"

She bit her lip and nodded, "We like sharing," she giggled.

"Oh, are you two like, together," I tried to sound indifferent about it all.

She pulled away from me and wrinkled her nose, "No, I learn moves from everybody; I just like to be good at what I do."

"Are you saying that you actually like this 'job'?"

"I didn't say I liked doing it. It's just…well. It's good to feel…appreciated." She looked down sadly, "I mean, it's the only thing I am _good _at."

I tried to make the subject lighter with a joke. I bumped her with my hip, "I'm sure you're wonderful at it."

She smiled devilishly, "I really am."

We walked into the old abandoned train station and waited. Right at 6 the mysteriously silent train arrived. We climbed aboard.

We visited with some other friends on the train, there was Thereasa from 11, Lilly and Lilac from 10, and Sanders from 6. The rest of the people got into other cars on the train.

I felt extra sorry for Lilly and Lilac. They were twins and well, did their job together. In some ways I think it might be nice to have some one to go with you. But then I remember that all that does is allow you to watch them suffer.

We arrive at the Capitol at nine. So by eight the conductor's voice is heard over the speaker telling us to get dressed and ready. Prim comes out of the bathroom in her gold dress. It hugs her body tightly. She put on a similar gold eye shadow. Now I could describe her as sexy, but this person does not seem like Prim. I go in next and put on my outfit. I have to have Prim come in and help me with the suspenders. She slaps my butt as we walk out, "This is my favorite outfit yet."

Lily and Lilac come out with robes on. We all raise our eyebrows wondering what they're wearing. They both laugh, "Trust us," Lily starts. "You don't want to know," Lilac finishes. We all laugh and finish dressing. As nine-o-clock rolls around and Capitol members start sending us in different directions, we all grow silent. Like I said, nobody should have to go through this.

**Well? Review me please! Is it better? Worse? Same? Give me some suggestions if you don't like something about it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ahhh, I love reviews. They make me so happy!**

Chapter 3

I watch Prim as she practically dances her way to her Mister's house tonight. She has visited this door many times. It makes me sick to watch her do this practically every weekend. It also makes me sick to see that she almost likes it. I see I'm mistaking when I watch her wipe a tear from her eye. She then knocks on the door and leans on the door frame taking an extremely provocative pose. The door opens and the man, twice Prim's age, looks her over for a long time. Then he allows her to come in.

I didn't even notice I had stopped until the Capitol guard behind me urges me to move on. We walk up to an extremely large house with many lights burning. I notice many figures moving inside. Ah man, I'm going to be the entertainer at some party. I instantly sigh and start walking with slumped shoulders. The Capitol men just shake their head at me and shove me up to the door. It opens with several women inside; I suggestively raise my eyebrows and say my greeting, "Ladies?"

Before I can even finish the word, I'm pulled inside. Hands don't ever leave my body. I am grateful when they start pouring drink after drink down my throat. Soon I am drunk enough to not care what I'm doing and I know I won't remember a thing in the morning. I smile. I like when my mistress, or in this case, mistresses, provide alcohol.

Prim's pov:

I dance down the streets pretending to be happy. I reach his front door again. Why does it always have to be _him?_ Sure this is one of the younger, more attractive men I have entertained, but his recent obsession with me is scary. I wipe the tears from my eyes and knock on the door. I grasp the door frame partly because I think I might faint and partly because I know if I don't do a "good job" my family will suffer.

He answers the door and looks over me for a long time. His eyes trace every bit of my body. I feel like throwing up but continue to hold my smile. He finally allows me to come in. Before the door even closes, my beautiful gold dress is ripped from my body and thrown over a lamp. He puts his hands on me.

I let my mind black out and my instincts take over. This is the reason I'm constantly learning and practicing new moves. If it becomes a second-nature to me, I don't have to think about it, I don't have to watch this happen to me again. I laugh, pretending to be tickled by this strange man's cool touch but the laugh is really for me. I think it's ironic. A little over three years of this, you think I would be use to it like I told Nick. But I'm not. I guess I really am good at lying. I lied to myself, saying I like to be good at what I do. No, I like to have a family that isn't dead.

The next thing I know, I am waking up. I pet the soft fur of the polar bear rug Josh, the man I'm entertaining, pulled to bed last night. I get out of bed and wander his enormous house. I go to the bathroom and throw up. Yeah, I'm definitely not use to this. I search for some breakfast. I have a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. Then I start crying. I'm still a child. Just like Nicky said, I should be in eighth grade. I'm little. What sort of life is this? I think about Nick for a long time. Wonder how he's holding up today.

I carry my bowl with me to the next room and switch on the light. I'm in the living room. Josh set out rose petals last night. They're everywhere except for the trail that leads to the bedroom. I avoid looking at this path. I begin looking for my dress when I start to smell a burning. I look over just in time to see my dress burst into flames from the lamp it was hanging on. Then the fire alarm goes off.

Josh rushes out of his room and scoops me up in his arms, determined to save me. Man this guy was a creeper. I hold my bowl of cereal desperately. I couldn't care less about his house or my well-being. All I know right now is that I'm starving.

Josh continues to hold me as we wait outside for the firemen to show up. He keeps telling me that I shouldn't feel bad and it wasn't my fault. All I do in response is eat another bite of crunch berries.

The flames are beautiful against the dark sky. I giggle just a little bit. It's nothing compared to what I've been through, but in seeing the flames, I feel a small victory. Even if it wasn't intentional, I feel I just made a small act of defiance to the Capitol.

Glimmers of sunlight start to peek through the horizon. Sunrise, I will be collected to get back on the train soon. I squirm my way out of Josh's arms until I'm standing on my own feet. I don't even notice that I have nothing on but a white see through sheet until I receive several whistles and stares from the firemen.

I don't get embarrassed until Nick comes out of his house down the street and takes me in. I look to his eyes for just a second then turn away. I probably look awful to him. Naked, make-up smeared. I feel awful. As he walks up he gives me a nod. The simplicity of the greeting just makes me feel even more ashamed. How I wish I could have the courage to tell him how I feel. That I need out. That I need to be taken away from all of this insanity. Maybe live off in the wilderness? Or run to the fabled District 13? But no, I'm too afraid and proud to admit vulnerability and fragility. But most of all, I'm scared to admit that I'm weak. Incapable of dealing with the stress of this life. But Nick would get it, right? He'd understand. Of course he would, but could I do that to him, ask him to leave behind his mom to save me? If I did she would surely die.

My thoughts are interrupted as fifteen minutes later we're collected for the train. Nick looks at me and laughs, for once, I'm glad to smell alcohol on his lips. Hopefully he won't remember the way I looked this morning. He holds the bottle he stole from his mistress's house, I know it's strong. I pry it from his fingers and drink down half of the bottle. Soon my head is spinning and I pass out. Finally.

Nick's pov:

I wake up surrounded by many women. All are still asleep. I find all my clothes scattered around the house and put them on. I go to the kitchen and open the cupboards, there are many bottles of strong fluids but I ignore them all. I laugh as I find in the last cupboard a box of Cap'n Crunch, Prim's favorite food. I gulf down a bowl quickly.

I hear something happening outside. I open the front door and see her. Prim, clutching a bowl of cereal, a house burning behind her. But what I see that really hurts me is that she's in the arms of another man and she's been crying. Our eyes lock for a second and she looks away.

I step back inside and return to the kitchen. I open the fourth cupboard, the one with the really strong stuff. I grab the first bottle I see and take the cap off with my teeth. I go back outside, nod to Prim, and get to the train where I can hopefully cure my hangover by getting drunk all over again.

The next time I wake up, we're dropping off the district 2 people. We'll be in district four in an hour and a half. I look down, Prim is resting her head on my chest as she sleeps. I smile and soak it in. Then I notice the empty bottle in her hands, it's very unlike Prim to escape her problems by getting drunk. That's my job.

Lily and Lilac open the blinds and let sunlight in, "Rise and shine," they cheer.

The light hits my face and I squint. I try to get away from my headache, "Too bright, too bright!"

I notice Prim has woken up and is taking the light the same way that I am. She moans and buries her face deep into my chest. After a couple minutes she sits up. She examines the empty bottle in her hands. Then she gets up to the train's liquor cabinet. I follow her and push her hand down before she can grab a bottle.

"Prim, don't, you shouldn't be getting drunk like that."

She snorts, "Well, look who's talking."

I sigh, "What I mean is that I've always used this to get away. You, well you did something different. So why can't you just stick with that?"

Her eyes avoid mine for a long time, "Maybe it's not working for me anymore." It's quiet for a long time before she speaks again, "Did you see me this morning?"

"Not if you didn't want me to have." At hearing that I did in fact see her, she yanks the bottle from my hands and opens it. Soon she's hiccupping.

**I thought them both having Cap'n Crunch for breakfast was cute. Think about the cereal. Hungry? No that's not why I want you to think of it:D I think it's deep. Tell me what you feel it represents and stuff. I'll give you 20 imaginary points next chapter if I like your answer :D Got no clue? Review me anyways!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I'm in the bathroom. Prim's hunched over the toilet. I'm holding her hair out of her face as she vomits. She soon falls back asleep.

When we arrive back to district four I don't wake her up. I just carry her back to my house. I climb in through my bedroom window afraid to see what state my mom's in. I gently put her down on my bed. I frown at her nudity. She always said those sort of things didn't bother her, that she's use to people seeing her now but it still feels weird to just leave her all exposed. I search through her backpack to find that she hadn't brought any clothes with her from twelve.

I go to my closet and pull out the largest shirt I can find. It's a light blue button up shirt. It should fit her like a dress. I get up on my bed and position myself behind her to get at a better angle. I'm sitting upright, her head leans on my chest. I pull her right arm through the sleeve then her left. I put her gently down on my pillow and start buttoning the shirt. As I get toward the top she wakes up.

"Morning already?" she says with a yawn and a smile.

"Actually it's mid afternoon."

She frowns, "Oh, well that felt like a waste of a day."

"That's what happens when you drink yourself to death." I give her a small smile; it was only half a joke.

She takes on a mimicking tone, "Oh hahaha, very funny," she jumps out of bed and starts pulling at the collar of the shirt I put on her, "Blehk, I feel like I'm being choked." She laughs and unbuttons three buttons down so it's not as close to her neck. "Much better."

"Do you want something to eat?"

She smiles childishly, "Cap'n crunch please."

We walk to the kitchen and I pour each of us a bowl of cereal. Prim immediately starts eating. My mom walks in the room. She looks over Prim in confusion; she had never seen her before. I hold my breath as she looks at me, "Nick," I breathe in, today I am her son to her, "Who is this?"

Prim pops up from her chair, "Oh how silly of me, I'm Prim, Primrose Rue Mellark," she sticks out her hand.

My mother hesitantly shakes it, "Mellark? You Katniss and Peeta's kid?"

"Yes ma'am," Prim says with a brilliant smile, "You were friends with my folks, no?"

My mom nods her head, "Your mom was a brilliant fighter," she smiled mischievously, "So what are you doing out of twelve Prim? Do your parents know you left?"

"No ma'am," she looks down at her toes as if she'd done something truly awful, "Please don't call them, they're having a hard enough time without me being there. Just one more mouth to feed." She shakes her head. I wondered if she already planned out what to say or if she just made it up as she went. Because we both know that her family was far from starving, with her mom hunting and her dad cooking and all.

My mom looked her over for a while, "Ok, I won't call them. So are you staying with us?"

"Only if that's alright with you, I mean I could always find somewhere else…"

"No no no. Stay with us. So how do you know Nick?"

She quickly came up with another lie, "I saw him on TV when the news interviewed all the past victors. He was in the background of your interview. I thought he was cute," I stood there in disbelief as she actually made herself blush, "With you being friends with my folks and all, I got his number and we started talking on the phone a lot."

My mom shook her head and laughed, "Yeah, Nick's pretty handsome." She ruffled my hair.

"Mom, stop it," I said through the side of my mouth.

Prim chimed in with my mom's laughter. My mom grabbed a granola bar and left the room.

I looked at Prim, "So, what do you want to do with our remaining daylight hours?"

"Your mom said my mom was a brilliant fighter."

"Yeah, so?"

She looked up at me and her eyes turned gray, "I want to see my mom's hunger games."

I looked at her for a long time, "We don't own any of those old tapes Prim."

"I know, but I bet any number of Capitol residents do. My mom's year was some of the fan's favorites. I'm sure several of them have those tapes stored somewhere."

"What do you want to do?"

"Next weekend, when we go back on the train, we'll each search for our parents' tapes."

I thought about it for a long time. I wasn't really interested in seeing my mother's games, but my dad's. Well, I'd never seen anything with my dad before, no photos, no videos, nothing. "I want to see my father."

Prim smiled like she was way ahead of me, "I know."

"So how are you planning on us stealing the tapes?"

She looked at me like I was flat out stupid, "Oh don't tell me you've never stolen before." I shake my head, nothing really comes to mind. She stands up and wraps her arms around me. Then she pulls an empty bottle from the bag behind me. "Uh huh, sure, if you say so."

I laugh, I always figured my hosts just owed that to me. "Okay, so we steal the tapes. Then what?"

"We'll figure it out as we get to it." She smiles and her eyes go back to being blue.

**Sorry it was so short. You see that little button on the bottom? Yeah, that one. Push it and write me the best review you've ever written, be it negative or positive. I like taking things to the extreme:D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for the reviews. Some people even pointed out some stuff to me I didn't realize before. I will try to fix it, thank you.**

Chapter 5

Saturday and Sunday passed too quickly for my taste. Prim and I just sat in my room, enjoying each others company. We would always get up to go make cookies or anything else we craved though. I also had to leave for about an hour Sunday to help my mom out of a fit. But to be honest, I could spend an eternity just talking. As long as it was with Prim.

Sunday evening came along and Prim just stopped mid-sentence, "What's wrong Prim?"

"I don't have anything to wear to school," she frowned and bit her lip. I looked her over; she was still going by wearing my over-sized t-shirts.

I get up to my closet and throw open the doors, "See anything you like?"

She wrinkles her nose, "No offense Nicky, but I don't really want to go in public wearing boy clothes."

I nod, of course. Prim always had an eye for fashion, "Do you want to check my mom's closet? She's bound to have something from the 'old days' that will fit you."

She smiles and nods. We quietly enter my mother's room. She has just fallen asleep after her exhausting fit and we don't want to see how she'll react if woken.

Prim walks to the closet and throws open the doors. I watch as her chin literally drops. I take a peek inside myself. My mom always just goes around wearing sweatpants and baggy t-shirts. I laugh as Prim starts to fake hyperventilate. "Nicky, you never told me your mom had all these clothes!"

I shrug, "I didn't know she did."

Prim automatically goes for anything glittery. She likes to wear things that attract attention to herself. She puts on a blue glimmering dress. In it are swirls of green and a small trace of white. It reminds me of waves washing up onto a beautiful beach. The dress suits her. She twirls around in it, "Is it too much?"

"Of course."

She smiles brightly, "Perfect, no one will be able to look away."

I nod in agreement, "No one."

We both hear a rustling from my mom's bed. She wakes up and looks around the room in half of a daze. Then her eyes fall on Prim. They grow wide and she starts screaming. Just full on screaming. Whatever's going on in her mind, it scares her. "Why Finnick? Why would you do this to me? I can't do this again! Your suppose to protect me Finnick!"

My face grows white. She's calling me Finnick again. I grab Prim's hand and rush her out of the house. Just as I shut the door behind me I hear my mom's words, "You're going to have to kill her eventually! It's her life or yours!" since her words seem to have stopped, we stay seated on my front porch. I'm completely embarrassed by my mom's behavior and am trying to think up an apology. Not even a minute has passed when I see my mom through the kitchen window. She looks very panicked and runs for the knives. I look at Prim. She's still trying to figure out my mom's outburst so I know she hasn't seen what Annie plans next.

There's no time to explain, I just pick Prim up and run into the near woods with her. She protests and tries to escape my arms, but I'm too strong for her. She finally stops struggling when a knife sticks into the tree right where we were a second before. Yes, my mom thinks she's back in the games.

I think hard. What triggered this? She looked at Prim… now she's trying to kill her. Then it hits me. The dress. I remember my mom telling me years ago that they put her in a special outfit per district right before they sent her off to die in the hunger games. The waves on the dress represented the ocean in District 4. In seeing the dress, she thought a new hunger games had begun.

It seems like my mom has stopped hunting us, but my legs won't allow me to stop. I just keep running, I have to protect Prim. It's not until she's yelling at me half an hour later that I put her down, "Nick, she's gone. You need to rest, and then we need to go back to district 4."

I put her down on a log and start to catch my breath. With my adrenaline pumping and my speedy running rate, we must be about 8 miles away from home. I sit down next to Prim. "Maybe I should go back to 12."

I feel my heart die inside, "Why, are you sick? Because if you're sick, I can help you get better. We have a hospital in 4 you know."

She timidly laughs, "No, I'm not sick. Nick, don't you see? Your own mother almost killed you all because, well because of me." she looks at the ground ashamed, "It would be better if I wasn't around."

I start to choke. I want to cry. Cry. How manly. I finally manage to swallow my upcoming sob and start to speak, "You can't go back. How would that be any better? I mean, you just got here."

She grabs my chin and forces me to look in her eyes, her voice takes a soft, comforting tone, "Nicky, Nicky, Nicky. It's not like we wouldn't see each other again. I'd see you every Friday night, on the train. You'd be safer with me gone. And my family, well they could stop wondering where I am, they probably think I'm dead." She turns away from me and mutters to herself, "I should be dead."

I wrap my arms around her and she buries her face in my chest. She starts crying. "Prim, don't you ever say that. If you died… well, if you weren't around, I. I wouldn't have anything to live for."

She coughs out another sob, "Yeah right. You seem to really enjoy yourself in the Capitol. I mean your life seems like an on-going party. You get to go to parties."

I sit there, she's referring to the party I entertained at on Friday, "Wait, you think I like that?"

She starts crying again, "Well, why wouldn't you? Surrounded by women, that's what every guy dreams of, right?"

I laugh, "Most guys, yeah. But I think something about it not being a choice kills the thrill. Do you really think most guys dream of living the luxurious life of prostitution?" I look into the trees; my eyes are starting to water.

She sits up. My shirt is soaked, and the pure look of pain in her eyes finally forces a tear to roll down my cheek. "Do you want to know a secret?"

"Secrets. That's what we live for isn't it? I mean we keep the secret of the Capitol. We keep secrets from our own families, telling them were going to a friend's house or camping, every weekend." I laugh and chant the little rhyme Prim told me a couple years back, "Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone." Yes they hurt everyone.

I look at Prim, she looks even more upset now, "Never mind Nicky." She looks down and twiddles her thumbs.

"I'm sorry Prim, what is it?"

She looks up at me, "It's not important, to be honest, I already forgot what I was going to say."

Now it's my turn to grab her chin and force her to look into my eyes, "Prim, you might be a good liar. But you should know by now that you can't hide anything from me."

I set her off. She's got her head in my lap and she's crying again, "I don't want to lie anymore Nick. I can't do this anymore. It tortures me."

I help her sit back up, "Okay, then don't lie anymore."

"It's not that easy, you should know that."

I look down at my fraud of a purity ring. No it really isn't that easy. "Okay, then a compromise. We don't lie to each other. We don't keep secrets. Anything you need to get off of your chest?"

I really don't expect her to say anything. Like I said, she can't hide anything from me. I am shocked by the amount she says though. She takes a deep breath and starts talking nonstop, "I really don't like to be what I am. I'm tired of acting older than my years. I only get good at what I do because I don't want to have to think about it. I cried myself to sleep every night until we became friends and started talking on the phone. Sometimes I still cry myself to sleep. I throw up every Saturday morning. Josh is obsessed with me. I'm drop dead afraid of what more he might do to me. I want people to look at me as beautiful because I feel rejected. I ran away from home because I'm weak. I'm afraid the Capitol will kill my family. I can't swim. I'm terrified of water. I'm afraid the Capitol will one day drive me in on the train and never let me home again. I'm afraid the Capitol will do that to you; take you away from me. I wanted to runaway into the wilderness with you, but I don't want our families to be killed. I am mad jealous of every girl you entertain. Sometimes I pretend Josh is really you. I sometimes-"

I have to stop Prim. I put my hand over her mouth and try to take it all in, especially the last four sentences. My mouth moves to create words, but no sound comes out. I finally manage to say, "Wow."

"I'm sorry, I said too much. I should've kept that to myself," I can see a faint blush behind her cheeks, "including the last part."

I shake my head, "No, keep going. I want to hear more about the last part."

She frowns, "Nicky, you're not very nice did you know that? You sit here teasing me after I just bore my heart out to you. I'm sorry, I really am. Maybe we can be friends again some day, but for right now-"

I grab her face with both my hands and kiss her. At first she seems shocked, but then she kisses me back. I pull away to catch my breath. A split second later she is kissing me again, I can feel the urgency behind her kiss. The desire. I know it was more of for her need than anything else. She wasn't trying to be 'entertaining', she wasn't practicing. I know that the way she kisses me now, she has done for no Capitol man before.

**Yay for love! Review if you're with me! If you're not, review anyways. By the way, the cereal represents innocence.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hahaha, people were split pretty evenly about whether they loved or hated the ending to the last chapter. But I liked it so…**

**Suck it fools! Hahaha, jk, thanks for the thoughts**

Chapter 6

Prim. Prim. Prim. Prim. Primrose. Prim. Prim. Primrose. Ms. Mellark. Prim. That was all I could think. She had completely taken over my mind. I couldn't think of anything or anyone else. I kept kissing her, occasionally remembering to breathe. Ahhh, Prim. My Prim.

I was sad when she pulled away from me. "What's wrong, did I do something? I swear, I can fix it," I leaned in to kiss her again.

She laughed and put her hand on my chest keeping me back, "My lips hurt Nicky."

I sat back upright and sighed, "Oh."

She nuzzled herself in my arms and rest her head on my shoulder. For the first time I look right in front of me. There's a pond. It has beautiful water lilies. The water is clear and welcoming. Being a resident of District 4, I immediately want to go swimming. I get up on my feet. Prim stands with me. I almost regret pulling away from her and use my now free arms to take off my shirt and pants. I walk into the water in my boxers. It's warmer than the air. It feels absolutely wonderful. I am now waist deep. I turn behind me and see Prim is just standing at the water's edge watching me. I reach out my hand, motioning for her to come in.

She shakes her head, "I can't swim, remember?"

I come out and take her into a hug, purposely soaking her. She shivers slightly. "I can teach you if you want."

She looks at me with terrified eyes. Then I decide that they look more determined than scared. She takes off her dress and takes my hand. I slowly lead her into the water. She doesn't hesitate until she's in at her waist.

I try to take another step, but she won't budge. "Prim come on, just a little bit further, please?"

She stands there for a while, and then full on grabs my arm. She hangs on it, giving it most of her weight. I gently pull her until we're chest deep in water. "Okay, now let go of me."

She shakes her head, "What if I fall and drown."

I laugh, "You might fall." She shoots me a slightly angered look, "Prim I promise, if you go under, I'll save you. You can't drown under my watch."

She looks at me a few seconds longer and then releases her grip on me. I put one hand on her stomach and one on her back, "Okay, were going to lean you forward and you're going to put your legs out behind you," she silently obeys which way I lean her with my hands. She lets out a small yelp as the water touches her face. She stands back up quickly. "Prim, it's ok, nothing will happen, I promise."

I slowly coax her into the same position as before. She only flinches a little as the water hits her chin. "Ok, now do little small kicks with your feet and move your arms in big circles, try to swim a circle around me." I help continue to guide her and help her float as she does what I say.

She starts laughing, "Hey, this is kind of fun."

I laugh with her, "You ready for me to take my hands away?"

She nods and I let go. She instantly goes under. She thrashes as she tries to get back on her feet. I have to help her. She looks at me, a combination of being frightened and angry, "Do you want to try again Prim?"

"No."

"Oh come one it's just-"

"No," she takes my hand to lead me out of the water. She sits on the shore, letting her feet soak next to some water lilies.

I sit down next to her, "We can try again in a few minutes," she takes me up into a kiss. I kiss her back slightly confused. I pull away, "What happened to your lips hurting?"

She smiled, "I figured hurt lips were better than drowning again."

I laugh, "You did not drown."

"Almost."

"Not even close, like I said, if you were drowning, I would save you."

She pretends not to hear me and looks up at the sky. "It will be dark in 2 hours, we should get back."

"Back?"

"Yeah, we should go back."

"What if my mom's still trying to kill you?"

She shrugs, "I guess we'll have to take our chances."

I quietly mumble under my breath, "Why can't we just live out here?"

I know she's heard me because she's answering my question, "Hey, I'd like to never go back as much as you would. But, well, we can't do that to our families. The Capitol would kill them in a second. You know that."

I look up at her. I know she truly cares for her family. I on the other hand, well when your mom is crazy, it's hard not to imagine how much easier life would be if she were gone. But what matters to Prim matters to me, "Okay, we'll go back to 4. But there is no way I'll be taking you back in my house over the next couple of days."

She nods thinking it over, "So…where would we sleep?"

I give her a dark look.

Her eyes turn gray; she already knows what I'm thinking, "No. No I can't. I mean, hobos go there, I've seen the way those old men look at me."

"Prim, the community center is the only chance we got. Do you know how cold it gets at night? We can't just sleep on the streets."

She tenderly wraps her arms around me, "We can if we keep each other warm." I frown and hold up my purity ring. "What? But that thing is… well no offense but it's kind of a joke. I know you, that's not true."

"But I wish it were," she keeps staring at me, very obviously confused, "What I mean is, is that now that I have the choice and wouldn't be forced. Well, with you I want to wait."

"Wait?"

"Yeah, you know, sort of like we have two lives. There's the one where we work for the Capitol. And then we have a second life. One in which I'd like to stay a virgin until I'm married. I think keeping the two lives as separate as possible will just, you know help with my…well-being."

She nods, trying to understand. She doesn't talk for a long time. Then she makes a very disgusted face, "The community center?"

I nod, "It's not as bad as 12's, I swear."

"Yeah, it better not be."

We get dressed again and walk back at a slow even pace. The late afternoon sun turns everything a bright golden color. The leaves on the trees reflect the light perfectly in their orange and red hues. Soon, things start to seem familiar, we are no more than a mile away from town, but we still have quite a bit of daylight left.

Prim smiles, "You know what I haven't done since before I was 11?"

"What?"

"Well, Thresh, my little brother, and I use to play hide 'n seek."

I had no idea what this was. I didn't even know if I hadn't heard of it because I was an only child or because of the district I grew up in. "Prim… what is that?"

She laughs sweetly, "It's fun! One person closes their eyes and counts. The other person goes and hides. Once the counter reaches one hundred, they have to find the hiding person. I'll hide first."

"What if I can't find you?"

"Then I win."

I start to bring my hands up to my eyes slowly, "Just don't go far ok?" Right before I cover my face I see her roll her eyes at me, "One, Two, Three," my heart starts pounding rapidly, this game sure gets your adrenaline flowing. I start to grow impatient in counting, "Thirty-four, Thirty-five," I wonder how far she could get in the time I reach one hundred, "Fifty-two, fifty-three," too far, "One hundred," I blurt out before actually reaching the number.

I look about me wildly. She doesn't seem to be anywhere. Suddenly this game didn't seem like such a fun idea. Not knowing where Prim is worries me. I mean, what if my mom was still out here hunting?

I run aimlessly around a fifty yard radius from where I counted. I end up back in the same spot I had started. I can't find her anywhere. Oh no, what if my mom really was still out here? Would I hear Prim scream? Would she even scream? Would my mom sneak up on her and slit her throat? What if Prim was trapped somewhere, hoping my mom would go by without finding her. Just as I finished this thought I was tackled to the ground. Soft leaves cushioned my fall. I turn onto my back to see who had attacked me. Prim sits on my stomach smiling brightly, "I win."

I laugh nervously, still trying to calm my heart rate, "Where were you?"

Without saying a word, she puts her ear up to my chest and listens. After a second she giggles, "Yeah that game really gets the blood pumping. I heard that they invented it a long time ago to prepare kids for the Hunger Games."

"Wow Prim, that game is really messed up."

She smiles devilishly, "I know, right?"

"So where were you? You worried me."

She gets off of me, "Oh calm down, I was waiting for you in that tree there the whole time," she points to the tree right behind me.

She stands and dusts herself off, I do the same. She smiles, "So do you want to hide now?"

I shake my head, "Not a chance. Half way through the game I started wondering if my mom was still out here."

She takes my hand, "Then let's go back," she wrinkles her nose, "Do we really have to go to the community center?" I nod.

We reach its doors right as the sun sets. There are hundreds of beds lined up row upon row in the huge building. In between each bed is a cheap wall divider, allowing people privacy to change. Almost all of them are full. I knew that District 4 was heavily populated and that we had homeless people, but I never, not until now, understood how many there really were.

We walk down every row, looking for two vacant beds. I notice the way the men look at Prim. I hate it. They watch her every move. Look at every part of her. It makes me sick. I lean in to whisper in her ear, "Don't go anywhere alone, got it?"

"Wasn't planning on it."

After what felt like hours of wandering the room, we found one bed in the corner of the room. The dividers block off every other bed around it. Prim smiles and looks up at me, "Looks like I get my wish."

"It's okay; I'll sleep on the floor."

I lay down on the ground and turn on my side, waiting for sleep to overcome me. I see her frown, take off her dress and work her way under the thin sheets of the small bed in her undergarments. I take off my stiff, uncomfortable shirt. The ground is concrete and is freezing cold; it's going to be a long night.

**Well? You like? You don't like? Let me know!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I Freakin' Love You Guys! Thanks for all of the awesome reviews.**

Chapter 7

It must be about 11 at night. I lay on the concrete ground shivering. I could hear my teeth chattering. I tried my best to stop them, not wanting to wake Prim up. I failed miserably. Prim poked her head over the edge of the bed with a smug grin on her face, "What's the matter Nicky? You cold?"

All I could do in response was continuing to chatter my teeth.

She rubbed the bed's mattress, "You know, this bed is really warm, even if it only has one blanket."

I stared at her, "Prim, you're not making this easy…"

She smiles teasingly, "Wasn't trying to."

"I said I wanted to wait."

"Sleeping in a bed with me doesn't mean sleeping with me," she rolls her eyes, "Yeesh, don't get your panties in a knot."

I lay there shivering for a long time. I finally sigh in defeat. I stand up, "You're right, scoot over and make some room."

She smiles brightly, "Why of course Mr. Purity Ring."

"Don't push it."

She laughs and scoots over. I let out a sweet groan as my head hits the pillow and I am overcome by the warmth of the blanket. I roll over so I am facing her. Our faces are only inches apart. I want to kiss her, but I don't want her to get any wild ideas tonight.

She giggles, "You know what I always liked about your costumes?"

"Do I want to know?"

"You always are dressed as a guy with a job, like a miner, a business man; except for the time you were a merman that was just kind of weird."

I shiver at the thought of that costume, "Why do you like me to be dressed like I have a job?"

She shrugs, "It makes me feel like you can provide for yourself. Like you can take care of yourself, take care of me."

"That's me, bringing home the bacon." I say sarcastically.

"Don't make me hungry." We both quietly laugh, "So, what do you like about my costumes?" She raises her eyebrows suggestively.

"Nothing, I hate your costumes," she looks insulted and slightly embarrassed. I quickly explain myself, "What I mean is, is that they remind me of what you're going to have to do. I don't like seeing them send you away all those nights. I don't like seeing you hurt."

She smiles slightly, "That was kind of corny."

I smirk, "I'm a corny kind of guy."

She kisses me softly on the lips, "I know," then she turns over to go to bed. I wrap my arms around her and am soon asleep myself.

I wake up early in the morning. I smile to greet Prim. I frown as I open my eyes, she's not here. I jump out of bed. I look under the bed. I turn in quick little circles. The first thing that pops into my mind is the lustful looks she was receiving from everybody yesterday.

I decide to check the bathroom before jumping to conclusions. I run to the other side of the community center and push open the free swinging door of the girl's restroom, "Prim," I call inside. A couple of late teens- early twenties women look at me in surprise. I can feel myself blush in embarrassment as one winks at me.

I let the door close and start running through each row of beds. My head flashes from side to side as I run down, No. No. Not there. No. I'm about ready to loose it as I end up back at our room. I sigh in relief as I see Prim sitting on the bed. I frown, she's been crying.

She nearly knocks me over as she sees me and leaps into my arms. She buries her face in my chest and finally is able to choke her sobs.

"Prim, what's wrong?"

She mumbles into my chest, "You would laugh."

"I probably will."

I let her sit there in silence for a moment. Finally, she has to tell me, "Well, I went to go get breakfast," for the first time I notice the two bagels sitting on a disposable tray on the bed, "And when I came back… I thought the Capitol took you."

I let out a low chuckle.

"I knew you'd laugh."

"Never said I wouldn't." she frowns at me. I'm afraid she's going to start crying again, "Look Prim, I just find it funny that… I don't know. I find it funny that you think the Capitol would actually be able to take me away from you." She smiles, trying to hold back laughter, "Corny?"

She finally lets out her laugh, "Completely." She smiles up at me.

We quickly eat our breakfast and walk over to school. On the way, we have the most random conversation about the stupidest pet names. "I swear if you ever call me Bo…" I laugh, but she sounds serious.

"That means I can't call you Bo, Sugar, sweetheart, candied lips, or honey. Anything else you want to add to the list?"

She thinks a long time, "You know Honey includes 'hun' right?"

I nod, "I figured. So what can I call you?"

She smiles, "I always liked Dr. Delicious, but that's going to be my name for you."

"Delicious?"

She laughs hysterically, "Oh yeah, wait until a bunch of people are around. I can't wait to embarrass you!"

"It's fine by me Honey bear."

"Hey, I said no honey."

"Yes, but you said nothing about honey bears."

I watch her frown, then she starts laughing. "This game is going to be so much fun!"

"So how do we officially win?"

"Whoever gets embarrassed first and has to ask the other to stop looses."

"You're going down Cutie Pie."

"Whatever you say Hotcakes."

We finally arrive at school; I think it's the first time I've ever actually been on time. We go to our lockers, hardly anyone is here yet. We take the extra twenty minutes of time on our hands to go get Prim her schedule from the office.

I start showing her where her classes are and we're both happy to see she and I both have the same cooking class, lunch, and English together. First period is English. Second, I show her where her science class is. Third she and I have cooking. Then I show her the locker room where she can change into her dance leotard. Lunch, drama, and math finish up her classes.

The first bell rings. I can tell she's pretty nervous about today. I give her hand a reassuring squeeze as we walk through the door. We're the first ones in the room. The teacher introduces herself to Prim and tells her about the main rules of her class: no food, no drinks besides water, she's okay with gum, pick your own seat, etc.

Prim and I get seats next to each other in the middle of the back row. Almost immediately, Prim's desk is surrounded by several guys trying to introduce themselves. She's sitting there giggling at the attention she's getting. One finally asks the question I know they were all wondering, "So, do you have a boyfriend."

She starts into hysterics trying to sputter out the words, "Ye, ye, ye," then she's out of breath and cracking up again. The guys all smile and snicker at her reaction. I know the only reason she's laughing is because I've been here the whole time this mob flirted with her. I must look ridiculous. I feel ridiculous, I've tried several times to get their attention away from her, but they can't hear me. She finally quiets herself, "He's right there."

I give an annoyed wave. Most of them get embarrassed and turn away to find seats. John, the known 'player' at this school lingers behind for a second, "When you get bored with him, call me, K?" He gives her a wink and walks away.

Before I can even say anything she starts cracking up again, "You should have seen your face!"

"You're really loving this, aren't you?"

She's trying to catch her breath and just nods. She starts to look a little mischievous at the number of people watching us. Oh no. She leans in and pinches my cheeks, "Oh, Sugar Plum, you know that you're-" she can't finish her sentence before she busts up laughing again.

I'm about to do something embarrassing to her, but the final bell rings and the teacher calls us to attention. Our senior teacher's assistant walks through the door. He's smiling, and of course, as everyone is, is slightly dazed at the sight of Prim. This makes me angry, I mean, the other guys were one thing, but the T.A. is way too old to look at her that way.

Prim acts like she didn't notice anything even though I know she did. The rest of class consists of us silently reading the class book. I can tell Prim is confused by the level of reading. I lean over to explain some of the trickier plot lines and the more difficult vocabulary words.

"Nick, stop talking to Ms. Rose," the teacher scolds me.

Prim puts on a fake angry expression, "Yeah Nick, stop it," she says sarcastically. So instead we start passing notes. The teacher doesn't notice.

The bell rings and we start packing our stuff to leave. The T.A. walks up to talk to Prim, "Hey, my name's Darrin," he smiles at her. I want to gag, in fact I do a little, just to entertain Prim, "You're new here right? That was a stupid question; I mean I would remember seeing you around." I roll my eyes, "So if you need any help finding your way around, I'm your man. Where's your next class, I'll walk you there." He reaches out for her to take his arm.

She smiles politely, "Look, that's really nice of you but-"

"That's my job." I butt in and smile smugly up at Darrin. He looks slightly confused, good. Prim tries to hold back her laughter, as do I, at his face. She takes my hand and we walk out the door. I'm going to have to start beating these guys off of her with a stick. But really, who could blame them?

**Sorry it ended kind of abruptly. I felt bad because I haven't updated in a couple of days. Btw, anybody see 'women of SNL'? "And I'm Judith" hahaha, I couldn't stop laughing! Sorry if you don't know what I'm rambling about. Reviews!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Several people have mentioned how the Capitol is just kind of put there for the convenience of the story. So this chapter you get a HISTORY LESSON from the random thoughts of me. Because I truly was dropped on my head as a baby. Jk, Hope you like it. :)**

Chapter 8

How different would life be? How different would it be if the Capitol never recuperated up north? I try to remember the train conductor's story on why we were going to this supposedly dead city and how it stayed alive.

"About 85 years ago, Panem was a stable, peaceful place." The train conductor said over the intercom. The train had just received a fresh batch of newcomers. It was tradition that he tells them of Panem history. "There was the Capitol, a beautiful, powerful city that reined over thirteen districts. Each district provided for the Capitol, from the jewels in District 1 to the granite of 13. And all the electronics, fish, and coal in between. In exchange for the goods, the Capitol would take care of these districts.

"But one day, some greedy person decided they wanted more and started a rebellion," All the children on the train grew very confused; this was not the way they learned it in their history classes, "The Capitol had no choice but to fight back. They ended up completely wiping out District 13 and all of its inhabitants. With this sacrifice, the other districts backed off. To prevent another rebellion, the Capitol invented the Hunger Games: a fight to the death between 24 contestants. A boy and a girl from each district. This helped maintain peace for about 75 years! But once again, somebody got greedy." I winked and laughed at Prim, "Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark started a new rebellion."

"They found help from the thought-to-be-extinct District 13. You see, 13 specialized in not only granite, but nuclear weapons. They killed our fearless leader: President Snow. They thought that killing him would end the Capitol. They were wrong. The Capitol moved up to what use to be known as Canada. Here, we are regaining our strength and power for the day we will again rein over the twelve districts. Until then, we have_ special_ assignments for each of you," Prim snorted, sure was special, "If you fail your assignment, the Capitol has the power to take anything you've ever known from you, including your home, family, and your safety. This assignment is here to show you how powerful the Capitol is, and how powerful it will grow to be. Thank you and enjoy the beauties of this wonderful city."

The train pulled up to the city lit up in the night. Several of the new kids stared in aw at the seemingly fairy-tale of a land. Little did they know.

"What are you thinking about Nicky?" Prim sipped on her lemon aid. It was lunch.

"How old is Thresh?"

She frowned, knowing what I was thinking, "He turns thirteen next month."

"So he'll be on the train soon or do you think he will be one of the few lucky souls that are excused from the trip."

She looks like she's going to cry, "One can only hope."

I wrap my arm around her, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's ok. I'd want to know too if you had a little brother or sister."

We eat silently for a couple of minutes. A couple of guys try to sit next to Prim, I scare them away. She finally starts to grow happy again. Thank goodness, I was afraid I ruined her!

She laughs, "So today, in science," she giggles, "Lucy is in that class." She cracks up, "I think she's still confused about last Friday."

I laugh with her, "I bet she went crazy when she saw all the attention guys have been giving you."

She giggles, "Just a little bit."

The lunch bell rings and I take her to the drama room. She kisses me goodbye on the cheek, then just for a second on the lips. I smile and am walking away. I hear her shout over the hundreds of kids in the hall, "Bye Pudding Plop!"

Several people turn and laugh at me. I reposition my jacket to hide my face then I build up the courage to speak up, "See you in a bit my little Gummy bear!"

She turns red and retreats to her classroom.

I go to my singing class right up a flight of stairs up the hall. We sing all about finding love today. I understand the depth of each song a little bit better, especially the one about being loved in return. I smile mischievously; I know how I'm going to win Prim's and my game.

The bell finally rings. I wait at the top of the stairs. I see Prim come out of her class. She spots me and waves. I give her a smile, but she knows something is up. I start shouting loud enough for everyone around to hear, "I'd like to dedicate this one to Prim Rose!"

Everybody stops what they're doing and where they're going to watch. "Say hi to everyone, Prim!"

A little space clears around where she is and a path forms between us. She gives a confused and sheepish wave. She's already blushing. Oh, just wait. I grab the guitar from the choir class. She hides her face in her hands for a second and shakes her head. She laughs and tries to hide her embarrassment. I start playing. Then I start singing,

"Well you done done me and you bet I felt it  
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted," I start making my way down the stairs. I do ridiculous dance steps and end up in her face.

"I fell right through the cracks  
Now I'm trying to get back," I'm singing in her ear and walking in circles around her. She's bright red.

"Before the cool done run out  
I'll be giving it my bestest  
And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention  
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

I won't hesitate no more, no more  
It cannot wait, I'm yours."

I put down the guitar and smile at the amazing job I'd done. Prim looks as embarrassed as ever. She wraps her arms around me into a hug and whispers in my ear, "Ok, you win." I beam at her and give her a soft kiss. I hear several 'aws' and 'how cutes' and one girl even turned to her boyfriend to ask "Why don't you ever do stuff like that for me?"

I lean into Prim's ear, "I may have sung the song to win the game but I meant every word I said. Well except that I'm trying to get back. I don't want to get back. Prim, I love you."

She smiles, "I love you too. But you do know that that was really..."

"Corny?"

She laughs, "Completely."

**Yes, I have this thing for guys singing. :) I promise though, I got it out of my system. Reviews!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The week passes slowly. We return back to my house on Wednesday. My mom has finally calmed down. Prim sleeps in my bed. I refuse to sleep in it myself but she started threatening to go back to 12 when I made myself a bed on the floor. Much to her dismay, I put a body pillow between us. She hated it, yes, but I received no more threats.

Prim chose her outfits out of my mom's closet much more carefully. She avoids anything that looks like it may have come from the Capitol during any time period. She usually ends up wearing a pair of jeans and a nice blouse.

Friday comes around. I count as we walk up to school. I frown; Prim has been asked out twelve times this week. "It's too many," I say.

She finger laces my hand with her own. She laughs, obviously knowing what I was talking about, "Your one to talk, have you ever counted your own number?"

I shake my head, "No, why, do you know what it is?"

She smiles mischievously, "I know what it would have been this week had I not scared off the girls trying to approach you."

Curiosity gets the better of me, "How many?"

"Fifteen."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise; "Really?" all she does is nod.

We reach our lockers. I give her hand an extra squeeze. She holds her breath and closes her eyes. We stand there for a long time. "Hey Delicious, should I go first or do you want to."

"Delicious is my name for you," she frowns. "You can't go stealing."

I sigh, "Fine, but it suits you so much better."

She giggles, "Whatever. I came up with it, I get to use it."

"So should I go first?" she was stalling, it's time to come to the present.

She bites her lip for a second, "Let's go at the same time." We both put in our lock combinations. I close my eyes for a second then open it. Inside is a strange loin cloth. It's made out of snow leopard skin. Prim laughs as she looks at her costume. She holds it up to show me. It matches mine except hers includes two pieces. I hold up mine to show her my new discovery she laughs for a second then grows confused, "Why would they match?"

"I don't know."

"Do you remember last year?"

Somehow I knew exactly what she was talking about, "Do you think they'd do another 'big entertainment' party?"

She shrugs, "Why wouldn't they? After all, it was a huge hit last time." I shutter at the thought. She giggles, "You were so wasted! Do you even remember it?"

"Bits and pieces," I give her a dark look, I'm remembering last weekend, "Prim, please don't get drunk again-"

She glares me down, "I'll stay sober if you will."

"Fair enough."

The first bell rings and we go to English. We don't talk too much in that class. I think we're both trying to figure out if there really would be another 'big entertainment' party. Those ones were always really awkward. It's just like any normal party except there are several entertainers. We just go around looking pretty, seductive, flirty, whatever we sense our present person in conversation wants. We like to remember each other in our natural states, on the train. To see our friends 'in business' makes train trips feel strange for a long time.

I walk Prim to her next class. She holds onto me much like she did that day I tried to teach her how to swim. Like if she let go, she would surely fall to her doom.

As cooking comes around, we both put our thoughts out of our minds and start having fun again. Today we are to make some wonderful rich cake and we are to also make our own frosting. It is a 'test' day. We will get one partner and no help from anyone or anything else.

Prim and I team up, duh, as cooking partners. Prim recalls the recipe from her mind and recites it to me and I search for the ingredients around the kitchen. I come back with them all. I get out a large mixing bowl and electric mixer.

We stare at it for a long time. "Do you remember how much of each thing we put in?"

She hopelessly shakes her head. Then she appears to have remembered, "Wait, there's two and a half cups of…yeah I got nothing."

We stare at it for a while longer. I watch as Prim starts randomly putting amounts of stuff in. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Nope," she flicks a puff of flour in my face as if it is going to further prove her point. She looks at the bowl of salt and sugar. She puts in a pinch of sugar and a whole bunch of salt.

"Prim, I think you just mixed up the salt and sugar."

She stares at it emotionlessly. Then in a strange as-a-matter-of-fact tone she asks, "Can we start over?"

"I highly doubt it."

She looks at it again, "Crap," she looks up at me, "Let's just go with it, hopefully Ms. Smith won't notice."

I shrug, "Maybe if we make the frosting super sweet no one will be able to taste the saltiness!"

She puts some cake batter on my nose, "That's the spirit."

I put a glob on her cheek, "You bet it is."

She plugs in the mixer and turns it on. Almost immediately, cake mix is everywhere. It splatters all over us, the group on both sides of us, and all over the kitchen. Some even got on the ceiling. I laugh at Prim's horror struck face. Everybody is staring at her big mistake. "Smooth," is all I can say.

She giggles, but I can tell she is still pretty embarrassed. "Do we get marked down in breaking the kitchen?"

"I sure hope not." We both laugh. I risk looking in the bowl, "There's not much left is there?"

She looks disappointed. Then she starts swiping globs of cake batter off the counter into the bowl, "Don't tell anyone." I laugh and start helping her. Soon we get enough put together to fill up the cake pan.

As it bakes, we begin to make the frosting. We stick to our words and put in a bunch of sugar. I shake my head as I watch Prim ruin this too. Instead of corn syrup, she accidentally puts in maple syrup. I hold it in front of her, "Prim, I didn't even get this out."

She shakes her head sadly, "I can't cook."

I tease her, "Well obviously."

She tries to cover it up by putting in some random spices. I watch in disgust and horror as she puts in garlic salt, paprika, and poultry seasoning. "Prim, what would make up think that this would make it better?"

"What?"

I hold up each spice and tell her what it is since the labels long ago fell off, "Garlic salt."

"Oh I thought it was those yummy tasting sprinkles like you put on Christmas cookies."

I smile a little, "Paprika?"

She clenches her jaw and flinches in disgust, "I thought it was cinnamon."

"What about this?" I lift up the poultry seasoning.

"Not honestly sure what I thought that was."

I look down at our frosting. It was a puke greenish yellow color. "Get the food coloring." She does as I say. We experiment with different colors until we get something that resembles chocolate.

The cake comes out and we frost it. We get down on our knees from the counter and examine it. I look at Prim, "If we're really lucky, she'll just look at ours and won't taste it."

Prim looks rather amused, "What if she does taste it?" we both bust up laughing.

The teacher walks around the room, taking small bites of everyone's cakes and then recording a few notes about it. She simply looks over a few and decides they're good enough. After she's done, she excuses people to eat their creations. She reaches ours. We hold our breath as she decides whether to eat it or not, "This one looks especially yummy, but I'm starting to feel rather full." Prim and I both let out breaths we didn't know we were holding. "Why don't you take a quick taste?"

I smile, I can now take revenge on Prim ruining our cake, "Go ahead Prim, take a bite."

"Oh no, my tummy can't handle such rich foods, you can try it for us Nicky," She blinks at me. I definitely was not expecting her to turn it around on me like that.

I lift a fork. I can tell that Prim and everyone else who saw the whole ordeal our cake went through is watching me with much interest. I slowly cut away a bite-size piece of the cake. As I bring it closer to my face, I can smell the various seasonings. I hear a couple of people gag and gasp as I put it in my mouth. I nearly have to spit it out but I pretend that it's really good, "Mmmmm." I mumble as I chew it in a way to keep most of it away from my tongue. I try to swallow. It gets stuck in my throat for a second, "Yummy." I lie.

The teacher smiles and moves on. I look at Prim. She's holding back laughter, "Well, how was it?" she teases.

"Tastes like chicken. And by the way, now I really get to call you Delicious."

"What? No!"

"Oh yeah, anybody who ruins a cake that horribly totally earns the name."

She pouts for a little and then laughs, "Was it really that bad?" All I can do is nod.

The bell rings and we're excused. I drink several bottles of water to get the taste out of my mouth.

Before I know it, school is over and we're at the train station. I begin again wondering about the 'big entertainment' party. 6 O'clock approaches, I guess it won't be long before I find out.

**Ok to me this chapter just seemed kind of off topic, but regardless, I want reviews. I have a four day weekend coming up so I can make it up with better chapters soon.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Prim's pov:

I hold onto his arm. Without it, I will surely fall. I don't want to board the train. I don't want to find out what our costumes mean. I don't want there to be a 'big entertainment' party. I was lucky enough last year for Nicky to be too drunk to remember what he had seen from me. But he promised to sober up. That's what I wanted right? I bite my lip, what if he sees me? I don't want him to see how I act around my Misters.

He leads me onto the train. Thereasa, Lily, Lilac, and Sanders are already on the train. There is a boy of fourteen whom I have not seen before. Sanders introduces him to us, "Every body, this is Kenyan. He normally travels with the other kids of District 7 but.."

Kenyan looks over Sanders, then at the rest of us sadly, "A couple of them tried to make a stand and refused to do their work last week. They never got back on the train in the morning."

I look at him with sympathy, "Oh my gosh, that's awful." I take him into a hug.

Everyone but Nick and I bust up laughing. Sanders slaps Kenyan across the back, "I told you she'd believe anything!"

They all laugh at me a while longer until Kenyan speaks up again, "No, I ran into Sanders last week when I accidentally got off in his district instead of my own. We became friends."

I stand there for a while, "You make fun of me because I believe a lie, and you got off in the wrong district?"

He stops laughing, "I never really thought of that."

Nick wraps his arms around me and we sit down. Nobody seems at all surprised that Nick and I are now officially together. We just got a lot of 'go figure's and 'I thought you guys were already together'. I do my best not to show my embarrassment at their reactions.

I rummage through my bag; my curiosity cannot stand it any longer. I pull out my costume, "Who else got something similar to this?"

Everybody pulls out their costumes. We all have barbaric costumes. Everyone gets really quiet. Thereasa even lets out a sob. "I don't understand," Kenyan says, "What's so bad about us matching?"

I stare at him for a long time, "Were you there last year?"

"Where? I only started eight months ago."

I look up at Nick, I don't want to be the one to tell him. Nick shakes his head. I look around me, nobody wants to tell him what it is.

He grows worried, "What is it?"

Nick finally speaks, "Big entertainment."

"What is that?"

I tell him, "One big party with lots of entertainers."

"I don't understand, what's so bad about that? I mean, it can't be any worse than normal, can it."

I look at him, "Let's just say that the way you see us now, you won't think the same of us tomorrow morning."

We let him soak it in. The train conductor's voice is heard over the intercom, "We are nearing the Capitol. Please get changed if you haven't done so already."

Thereasa changes first, everybody's out fits are designed to show off more of their 'best features'. This one is a loose dress that swings loosely mid thigh. Its v-neck goes down below her breasts, showing a ton of cleavage. It is obvious what men like about her. Lily and Lilac come out with dresses that show a lot of leg. I feel slightly left out that I don't have a dress at all. I have a more bikini-like out fit. A short piece of cloth wraps around my chest. Another loin-cloth type piece of cloth is for my bottoms.

As I walk out I notice Kenyan looking at me. I stand in the bathroom doorway awkwardly. Nicky punches him in the arm and shakes his head. I laugh to see Kenyan blush. He changes next, then Nick, then Sanders.

We all have the same leopard-print design but in different colors. Lily and Lilac are purple. Thereasa and Kenyan's are the classic orange. Sander's is a strange shade of green. Mine and Nick's are white.

I hold Nick's hand tightly as the train comes to a stop. I feel extremely cold as we step outside into the night air. I am slightly surprised to see that it is Josh who is hosting the enormous party. I laugh as I think of the trouble I caused him last week. He must be celebrating his new house.

As it grows time for us to part I get on my tip-toes to whisper into Nick's ear, "Don't watch me."

I take in his pained expression and pull away from him. We walk through the double doors of the mansion and immediately disperse.

Several men come up to me. I laugh at their stupid jokes. I whisper sweet things in their ugly ears. I even go sneak off in a room with one. The whole time I pretend it's Nicky. It just makes me feel worse. It makes me confused. As I kiss this man's stubbly neck I find myself saying, "I thought you wanted to wait."

"What was that dear?"

I have to remind myself who I'm with. This is strange: I can't think of a lie to tell him. My mind is occupied elsewhere. I pretend not to hear him. I shiver as his lips touch my collarbone.

He moves up to my jaw. I don't want to go any further; I'm going to be sick. "We should go back to the party; we don't want to be part of negative gossip do we?"

He nods and leads me back out into the huge room. Stupid Capitol residents always worried about being on the wrong end of the gossip. We go onto the dance floor. Barely into the song, I notice Josh tap this man that I don't even know the name of on the shoulder, "Mind if I cut in?" He looks a little upset but hands me over.

Josh holds me extremely close. He leans down to whisper in my ear, "How do you like the party?"

I nod, "It's good," I lie.

He laughs softly, "You know why I'm having it don't you?"

I nod again, "To celebrate your new house. Sorry for burning down your old one."

He laughs louder, "That's not what the party is for."

I grow confused, "Then what is it for?" I look behind him and see Nick. He has three women around him. All have their hands on his arm or his bare chest. He pretends to be laughing with them but the eyes that look at me appear very hurt. He tries to smile at me and mouths "Hey Delicious."

I smile and wink at him. Josh notices my distraction, "Prim, dear, are you

Listening?"

I nod and look up at him, "Of course."

He pays no mind and pulls me in closer. His words grow extra tender, "Prim, will you marry me?"

**Muwahhahaha, cliff-hanger! The sooner you review, the sooner I'll write!**


	11. Chapter 11

**In case any of you were paying super close attention, it said they were going to steal hunger game tapes this weekend, I think it's going to be next, maybe.**

**Previously on Lost(jk this is I Guess That's Life): He pays no mind and pulls me in closer. His words grow extra tender, "Prim, will you marry me?"**

Chapter 11

Nick's pov:

Three women are surrounding me. I let them talk; occasionally I will pretend to laugh at one of their comments, but right now, Prim is my main focus.

Who is that man? Could it be Josh? She has said he's gotten obsessed. He says something in her ear. Something is very, very wrong. I try to read her lips to see what's going on, but she's not saying anything. She excuses herself to the bathroom. As she leaves, her eyes flash across the room to meet mine. I wait a minute, at least I think it was a minute, "Excuse me ladies, I promise, I'll only be a minute or two." They all groan as I walk away.

I go upstairs and knock on the bathroom door. Almost immediately, it's opened and I'm pulled inside. Prim automatically buries her face in my chest and starts bawling. I've seen her cry before, but never quite like this. I wrap my arms around her tenderly and stroke her hair.

After a good twenty minutes, she has quieted herself enough to talk. I think she might have actually just lost the ability to produce anymore tears. She looks up at me, "Let's go Nick."

"Back to the party?"

"No, I mean let's go. Let's leave. We'll run away."

"Prim, your family."

"I don't care, I don't care." I'm quite shocked that she had said this. After a minute or two, I think she understands what she did just say, "We can go get them. We'll get on the train, go to 12. We'll warn them to leave."

"Ok, we'll go, but why? What brought this on so suddenly?"

"Josh," she starts crying over his name, "He wants us to get married."

I grow tense, I want to find this Josh guy and punch him. In fact, I might. Somebody knocks on the door. I hide in the shower and Prim opens it. Josh walks in, "Aww, Prim. I know it is very exciting. We're getting married! But please, can you save the waterworks for the big day? It will guarantee good reviews from the party guests."

"Josh, I don't think I'm ready for marriage."

"Nonsense, of course you are."

"I'm too young, how old are you?"

"Twenty-seven."

I clench my teeth. "Josh I'm fourteen. I'm not even out of school yet."

He holds out his arms motioning to everything around him, "In the Capitol, age doesn't matter. Sure it might seem awkward at first, but as we grow older, I can get surgeries to make me appear closer to your age. We can be eternally youthful. Never grow old. We will be together forever."

"Josh I don't want to marry you."

He dropped his total 'everything is going to be fine' act, "Well, quite frankly dear, I don't care what you want."

She starts crying. "How much did you have to pay?"

"Excuse me?"

"How much did they make you pay so you could marry me?"

"Price isn't important dear."

"So they're actually ok with this. I mean they're actually ok with me being exclusively yours?" It seems funny. The words sound like a dream, belonging to only one person, but Prim sounds absolutely disgusted.

"The Capitol can't argue with love." I come out of the shower and tackle him to the ground. I punch him repeatedly in his jaw. He tries to put his hands in front and protect himself.

"Don't you understand? She doesn't love you! Can't argue with love? Between you, it doesn't exist!" I keep punching him until his face is slippery with blood and I can feel my fists starting to bruise. I grab Prim and we run out the door. We head for the exit. I know Sanders has seen us. So has Thereasa.

"Nick, the Capitol. They'll take them. They'll torture them to try and find us." I nod and put her down. We get to work. Soon we round up everyone that normally rides in our train car plus Kenyan. We start for the door.

Josh appears at the top of the stairs. He is still bloody. He points to us, "Stop them!" he yells. The party guests grow confused by what he has said. "Stop them!" he repeats. A couple of people try to grab us as we run for the door. All fail.

Soon we are outside and just running. I lead the way, but I never let go of Prim's hand. We run the streets for over an hour. The Capitol was huge! We find the train station. I want to board but Prim shakes her head, "That's going to be the first place they look," she says. I have to nod, she's completely right.

We start running parallel to the train tracks. When we are nearing District 1, we slow and start walking. Everyone is exhausted and they have no idea why they followed us. We stop and sit down to catch our breaths.

"Why are we doing this?" Sanders asked.

I feel uncomfortable and slightly selfish in my answer, "Josh wanted to marry Prim."

Thereasa groans, "Aww, come on. We left because you couldn't suck it up and marry a guy? This is ridiculous, I'm going back."

Prim speaks up, "Do what you want but just know, when they start looking for us, they will go to you for help."

"So?"

"My father was their help when they looked for my mother. They tortured and brain-washed him."

Thereasa stands there for a moment, trying to decide if Prim is bluffing. Finally she sits back down, "So why wouldn't you just marry the guy?" she is still angry but her words sound just a little bit more casual.

Prim grabs my hand, "I'm in love with Nick. You can't expect me to marry a guy when I love some one else."

"So we left in the name of 'Love'?" She looks as if she might leave again.

"Yes, we did."

"I think it's kind of sweet," Lilac says.

"Yeah, like something out of a story book, " Lily agrees.

Sanders looks slightly upset, "I think it was stupid we left, but we can't really go back now."

I nod at him. He's right, we can't go back.

Thereasa is still fuming. Walking back and forth, trying to sort her thoughts. For what feels like the first time, Kenyan speaks up and says something serious. "I think… I think it was irresponsible for us to leave. But I do believe in love, so I know it's worth it."

We all sit there in silence. He's the third person that's been completely right since we left the Capitol.

**Kind of corny, but I still want reviews!**


	12. Chapter 12

**To the readers of my previous stories: you know how much I love sunrises :D**

Chapter 12

Kenyan's pov:

Everybody sits in silence after my comment. They look surprised, what; can I not be capable of believing in love?

"We should get moving," Nick says after we're done resting. We continue to follow the train tracks. We walk in silence.

It must be past midnight. After an hour or two more of walking, we stop. To the right is a green meadow with tall grass. It will hide us from the train or any other thing that might be looking for us. Everybody passes out. Sleep comes instantly to them, but to me it doesn't. I am stuck with my own words echoing in my head, "I do believe in love, so I know it's worth it." Love. Yes, I believe in it. But the truth of the matter is, is I don't know if it really is worth it. All its done is brought me much pain.

I continue to think a while longer. Finally, I find sleep. I wake up early in the morning, it is still dark. Everybody is in a heavy slumber. I stand up and start wandering; I will be back before they wake.

I push the grass this way and that as I walk through. I pick wild flowers and weave them into a chain. I continue walking until I find a small river. I put my already bare feet into the icy water. I get chills all over my body.

I stare at my reflection in the water. I feel slightly ridiculous in my Tarzan outfit. I look at my bare chest. I look at the bags under my eyes. I look for who I once was but find him no where. I use to be good. I think of my one, big mistake. I look at my reflection again. I see him, just for a split second, then all I see is the horrible person I've become. Only I know what I've done, I haven't ever told any body. I look at myself in disgust. I throw the flower chain into the water. It blurs my reflection. I watch as the flowers are carried away in the current.

I close my eyes. I see what I always see when my eyes shut, her. That's one reason I can never sleep. I can't stop watching her. I open my eyes to see the forest on the other side of the river. It starts glowing as the sun rises from behind the horizon. I can feel its warmth spread over my face. I open my mouth to laugh as it tickles my skin. It even tastes lovely. It reminds me of her: beautiful yet forbidden.

I close my eyes, there she is again. I imagine that the warmth on my tongue is her mouth against mine. I wrap my arms around her but find only air. I open my eyes again. The sun continues to ascend. I want her so badly, but I know I will never have her. A tear rolls down my cheek, "Jess," I sob at her name.

I let myself cry for a while. Afterwards, I wash my face with the cool water. It feels nice and refreshing. Finally, I decide to just go in for a quick swim. I stay where the water is shallow, going no deeper than my waist. I dunk my head under. It's so cold; it gives me a head ache. I feel more awake now. I get out and shake the water out of my hair with my fingers.

I start back for where everybody was. I lay down where I was before. I don't sleep, but I do pretend to. Five minutes later Prim shakes me awake. I pretend like I've just woken up. I stretch and make myself yawn.

Soon we are walking again. People seem to be in a bit better spirits today. Sanders and Thereasa loudly sing 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall. It gets annoying really fast. Nevertheless, I put on a fake smile and pretend to be happy that they're feeling so high-spirited.

My stomach growls. Lily looks down at it and laughs, "Hey guys, maybe we should find something to eat."

My eyes trace her dark skin. She is identical to her sister except she is about two inches taller. She has smooth black curls that frame her face and her voice is slightly accented.

This seems to be what I do every time I meet a new girl. I look at her physically: can't compare to Jess. Then I look at her personality: can't compare to Jess. Then I look at how I feel about her emotionally. Nothing can ever compare to Jess.

We wait as Nick weaves a net and catches some fish in a river. I think it's the same river I went to this morning. It is. I see my flower chain caught on a rock near the shore. I quickly rip it to pieces by stepping on it. I don't want anybody to see it; they would know that the sort of weaving isn't nature made.

Nick catches seven fish. There is one for each of us. We struggle in building a fire. First Sanders tries rubbing the two sticks together, then Nick, then Thereasa. It ends up being Lilac to get it started. I help add leaves and grass to fuel the flames.

We cook the fish. I listen to the conversations and force myself to laugh when I find it appropriate. Appear happy and no one pays any mind to you I remind myself as the laughing and smiling become difficult. Appear sad and everyone pries at you, looking for your secret.

I shiver at the thought of people knowing _my _secret. Appear amused, look entertained, smile, laugh, joke. Yes, appear happy. But don't ever appear sad.

**Ok I am sincerely sorry if my story seems kind of lacking. I'm having to force myself to stay on top of writing. So I promise, the next chapter should have some more umph to it**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Nick pov:

We continue our long walk. We are about half an hour away from District 3. Finally Sanders asks the question I know we're all thinking, "What about our families?"

After silence, he talks again, "If we stay out here our families will be killed."

Prim speaks, "What do you think we're walking for? We're going to go warn them," she punches him on the arm like it's all one big joke. We all know it's not.

"There is no way we are going to get there before the Capitol."

"Where do you think the train is right now?" everybody stares at me like what I was saying was completely irrelevant, it's not.

"Probably just left District 2, why?" Prim asks slightly confused.

"I bet if we're really sneaky, we could get on and ride to our districts." They all consider it.

"What if they catch us?" Thereasa asks. She turns her head sharply so it faces me, her long reddish brown curls bounce back to place.

"Who cares if they catch us," we all turn and stare at Kenyan. Every thing he ever says is completely unexpected.

Thereasa looks mad. She stops the group with a stomp of her foot so we give her our full attention, "Um, I care. I don't want to be killed or turned crazy like Prim's dad."

Prim is slightly defensive, "My dad is not crazy! He's just a little…

unstable."

Kenyan starts walking again, "All I mean is that I have nothing going for me back home, and I don't care what happens to me. Honestly, I only came out here because it sounded like it might be kind of fun, not because I was concerned for my safety," he says the words more to himself than anyone in particular.

He looks like he's just remembered something important, pushes aside his depressing attitude and laughs like it was a joke. He forces it too much. Something is definitely wrong with this kid.

Lily looks upset, "You don't care if your family dies?" his smile disappears. His eyes flash to hers then back away. He keeps walking.

"I didn't say that," he finally says.

"Then what are you trying to say?" Prim asks.

"It's not what I'm trying to say but what I'm trying to avoid saying."

Lilac puts her hand on his shoulder and stops him, "You don't have to hide anything with us, we're your friends." His eyes grow soft at the word 'friends' then he brushes her hand away and pushes past her.

"I hardly know you people."

We walk another twenty minutes in silence. We're approaching the next train station, "So what are we doing?"

"I don't care what you guys do, I'm getting on the train," Kenyan says sharply.

"You're not afraid of getting caught?" Lily asks sweetly.

His face grows even darker than before, "I want to be caught." This guy was totally emo!

"Why would you _want_ to be caught?" Prim nearly yells.

He glares at her, "It's a long story."

"You better tell us right now or I swear…"

"What? You swear what?"

Prim crosses her arms in front of her chest like a young child, "I'll make sure Nicky won't let you on the train." His eyes look at me in question. I only shrug my shoulders; Prim knows there's nothing I wouldn't do to make her happy. He shakes his head and keeps walking.

Thereasa tackles him to the ground. Her dark green eyes search his face fiercely. With her freckles and her attitude, one could easily mistake her as an upset cheetah. A cheetah, a hyena or a…. wildebeest I decide. I don't know why a wildebeest, she's just always reminded me of one. She pushes out her lower lip into a pout, "Please tell, curiosity's gotten the better of me!"

We watch as Kenyan struggles under Thereasa's weight. He pushes her this way and that but can't get her off of him. He looks her deep in the eyes, "You guys wouldn't understand…"

"Try us."

"Get off of me and I will."

She eyes him carefully, "I don't trust you."

"You shouldn't."

She decides that there's no more she can do and gets off of him. He stands and starts walking again. "So are you going to tell us or what?" Lily asks.

He considers it. He sighs, "Where to begin, where to begin…" he thinks carefully, "I started working eight months ago," we all nod for him to continue. "Well at first everything was, you know, typical. I was angry, upset, scarred for life, you've heard it all before." We nod, not only have we heard it, we've felt it. "And then… well…" his eyes glaze over and we know he is somewhere else.

"What is it?" Lilac asks.

His eyes come back to reality but they stay soft and sweet. I know I've had the look in my own eyes before, "Her," he says. He lets out a sob, "It was Jessica. My sweet Jess, I fell in love. I grew up the trust in her and told her of my weekends. I literally watched as her heart broke. I swore I would never do it again. That Friday when the train sent for me, I got on and acted like all was well but when I got to that night's house, I refused. I knew I would be punished, but I thought that _I _would be punished. When I got home, my Jess was gone."

Lilac's eyes are wet, "Where did she go?"

"They took her; the Capitol," he spits at its name. He breaks down crying, "I don't know if she's alive, I don't know if they killed her, I don't know if they're torturing her. I just don't know. And that's killing me! So yes, I want to be caught. I want to be taken to wherever they bring people so I can see. So I can find out if she's alive and if she is, I'm going to rescue her!"

Lily and Lilac, always up for anything 'in the name of love' automatically speak, "We'll help you!"

I look at Prim, she nods, "Guess we are too."

Sanders nods, "I'll come."

Thereasa gets her usual angry look, "We're all going to risk our lives-again- for love? You guys are idiots! Love doesn't exist!"

"Oh shut up, we all know you like Sanders," Prim shoots. Thereasa shuts up.

She never says officially if she'd help or not, but she continues to follow as we approach the train station so we know she's in. We hide behind a dark building and wait for the train. It comes. A whole train-car full of people gets off. They don't say a word as we sneak on before the door can close all the way.

Here we are, back on the train. Back on Capitol ground. Thereasa might be rude and highly annoying, but she got one thing right, we are all idiots. Complete idiots.

**Well? Good? Bad? Let me know!**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm going to say the same thing I told the readers of my other story. I'm sorry I took a long time to update but I promise, I don't quit on my stories and I'll never take more than a week. And I don't even think it'll get to that point.**

Chapter 14

Prim squeezes my hand as we wait for the Capitol people to find us, "What will happen to us?"

I shake my head, "Prim, I have no idea."

"Will they separate us?"

She looks at me, utterly terrified, "I don't know, they might."

She wraps her arms around me and rests her head on my chest, "Will they kill us?"

"I don't know."

She whimpers, "If you die, I swear. I swear I'll kill you."

"Prim you don't make any since."

"I don't care."

I stroke her hair and try to comfort her. I look over to Kenyan. He has taken back his emotionless stare and looks out the window. "You guys didn't have to do this. You still don't have to, you can get off."

Lily talks, "Don't be ridiculous Kenyan, of course we have to do this. We stick together."

"What if Prim is right though, what if they kill you?"

Thereasa mutters angry words to herself, we've all learned to ignore her. Sanders just puts his arm on her shoulder trying to make her a little cheerier. Although it hardly showed, her lip twitched into a small smile.

Lilac speaks, "What if they kill us? We all knew what we signed up for. At least I thought we all knew what we signed up for," she kind of spits the last words toward Prim angrily.

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking out loud," was Prim's reply, "It just seems kind of… stupid. Not the cause or anything, the plan. We're all willingly going to be taken to where we have no knowledge of what will happen to us."

"Prim's right," Kenyan says, "Sanders and Thereasa, hide. I don't want you caught. When we're taken, follow us but make sure they do not see you. If something goes wrong, rescue us."

Thereasa seems a little less gloomy about her position in the plan now. She squeezes her body into a cabinet to hide. Sanders crawls under the table. The table cloth hides him well enough.

Another hour passes before they realize we're on the train. We pretend to fight back but make sure in the end, they capture us. They put gray cloth bags over our heads so we can't see. They lead us to a different train cart. I am pushed to the ground and feel the bag lifted from my head. I listen to the barred wall slide shut.

I had no idea this train had its very own prison. I wait five more minutes and hear several other doors close. The guards leave us. A small window, I think from above me, lets light in every now and again. I call out into the dim, damp air. "Prim?"

"Nick?"

Lily calls now, "Lilac?"

"Kenyan?"

~a grunt~

"Lily," we all stare in the direction of that one. Lily had said her own name, "I was feeling kind of left out."

I can't help smile, leave it up to the twins to make anything funny. "Is everyone okay? Nobody's hurt are they?"

"I'm good!" Prim.

"I feeeeeel good," Lily sings.

Lilac responds with, "Dun u nun a nunanum, knew that I would now. So good!"

Lily, "Ba num!"

Lilac, "So good!"

"Bu num."

They both finish it off, "Cause I got you!"

Prim speaks, "That was…wonderful," she laughs, "You guys are such dorks."

Lilac and Lily laugh and joke, "Yeah, we should get our own record deal."

They keep laughing until I shush them all. "Kenyan, are you ok?"

We hear a groan, "I think I," another groan, "I landed weird when they threw me in, I think I broke my arm, but other than that, I'm good."

I squint across the room. He had the cell across from mine. He sat on a crate and examined his arm. I could see from here that it was swollen and at an awkward angle. His blond hair fell into his eyes as he examines it. He runs his good hand through his hair so it stands almost straight up.

Prim speaks, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm good really."

Prim speaks again, "My grandma is a doctor. You want me to talk you through making a sling?"

"Sure. Yeah, that would probably be a good idea," I watch in sympathy as he winces in dropping his arm. He walks over to the bag he had over his head at Prim's instruction. He bends to pick it up. Light flashes in from the window above my cell. I rub my eyes. It's gone. It must have been my imagination.

Prim's voice, "I would have you use your shirt, but you're not wearing one."

He looks down at his bare chest, "Yes that could pose as a problem."

I squint behind him. Another flash of light. I can see the figure crouched up on a crate above him but in the next flash of light it's gone.

"Rip a hole in the bottom of the bag so you can stick your arm through it."

He struggles to do it with one hand, but does. The air grows musky. And the light that occasionally comes in is now dim. I don't see the figure for another three flashes. The dim sliver of light comes in again. It falls perfectly on a pair of eyes. They are dark, fierce, tormented. I can't tell if the eyes belong to a human or some crazed animal.

Another flash, they're gone. I look desperately around Kenyan's cell looking for the thing again. I have tuned out Prim and Kenyan, looking only for the figure. We come out of the tunnel and a full, bright light streams onto the face. It stops moving. It stays in one spot. It sees me too. I can see the full face now. It opens its mouth and shows its teeth. They are stained yellow and the left side of the face is scarred from what looks like a burn. The skin is naked and gray. Limp black hair strings down on its face.

I gasp at the frightening sight of it. I blink and again it's gone. I must be imagining it. No creature could look like that. I look at Kenyan. His face is pale and his eyes are wide with fright. I hear a loud cackle. The laugh belongs to none of us. This is definitely not my imagination.

**A little bit of humor and some suspense. I already know who the thing is(it is human) but I want you guys to review me guesses of what you think it is. Please, it'll be fun!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry I took a long time…again. But I swear, this time it wasn't my fault my power has been out since Saturday night:0 stupid snow!**

Chapter 15

Kenyan's mouth holds its slacked position. The creature moves toward him. It half crawls-half walks. It reaches him. For a long time it just sits there in a crouched position, watching his every move. Finally it leaps at him. I am surprised, however, to see that it was not attacking him, but hugging him. They hug for a long time until Kenyan calls out to us, "Everybody, this is my cousin, Maple. She's Johanna's daughter."

I hesitantly say, "My name's Nick, nice to meet you."

Maple and Kenyan seem very pleased in the family reunion. "Where have you been, I've missed you so much!" Kenyan exclaims.

She looks down sadly, "They took me the night you pulled your little stunt. I mean, I guess I can't expect you to notice me gone since they took Jess too."

Kenyan looks sad. Sad and guilty, "Maple, I'm sorry, I should have, I just didn't,"

She stops him, "No it's totally fine, I mean I'm alive and that's all that matters."

"So after they took you, what did they do?"

She laughs morbidly, "Isn't it obvious," she strokes the left side of her scarred face, "They tortured me. They wanted to know what your motives were and if you were planning a rebellion. They poured acid on my face."

"Maple, I'm so sorry."

"No really, it's fine, I think it makes me look kind of fierce."

"I don't mean to sound rude, but what about Jess?"

Maple sighs and rolls her eyes, "Of course. They didn't torture her. They made her watch me, you know, the whole one's pain makes the other talk thing," Kenyan nods for her to continue, "After she told them what they needed, they took her back to the Capitol. I was able to hide in a crate and they couldn't find me. I've been in here ever since."

I can hear Lily's voice; I can't decide if it's disgusted or awed, "How did you stay alive?"

Maple hits a crate open and fruit pours out, "They're full of food."

Kenyan is talking to himself; he almost appears to be counting.

Maple puts a hand on his shoulder, "You all right?"

His eyes look up from his deep concentration, "So she's alive then?"

"Yes, last I saw her. Alive and unharmed."

Kenyan quite literally yells with joy. We all laugh at his reaction. Prim speaks out, "So Maple, we're going to go get her, are you going to come or stay here?"

Maple thinks it over carefully, "I really could stand to get out, so yeah, I'll come."

Kenyan smiles and hugs her again, "Thank you so much Maple."

She shrugs, "I know how much she means to you."

Lilac is the skeptical, "Um, how exactly are you going to come with us? I mean you can't just tag along, they'll know that they didn't capture you with us and I'm afraid that if you really have been hiding out here for so long they'll no longer…need you."

Maple seems unfazed by what Lilac is saying, "I'm not going to let them know I'm coming," she rolls her eyes like it was the most obvious thing ever, "I'll follow behind you guys without them knowing and help you out when the time comes."

We all nod, she'll basically do the same as Thereasa and Sanders. To me, it seems as if it could work.

We wait a long time. I know that we've gone all the way to District 12 and are now on our way back to the Capitol. The train finally stops. Guards come in and grab us all. They put bags over our heads again but not before I could see Maple sneak out of the open cell.

Everything is dark. My feet unwillingly walk wherever the guard leads me. I feel the sun, now coldness, the sun again. They're leading us through a series of buildings. Now they lead us down stairs. The stairs seem never ending, down, down, down. Finally, we are on level ground. I am pushed to the floor and the bag is lifted from my head.

I am in another prison cell but this time we are underground. It is very wet down here. Water drips from the ceiling and the only light there is, is dim and keeps flickering. I know that if it does decide to go out, we would be in complete darkness.

Two guards watch our cells for about twenty minutes. They start talking to one another. "George, this is really boring."

"I know, but you know it's your entire fault."

"How's it my fault?"

"Well, you lost that one girl a couple months ago and since, they've always given us guard duty because we can't be trusted with anything else." I smile a little, the girl they speak of I have no doubt is Maple.

"No way, that was your fault, you were clearly in charge of her."

"Frank, you always do this!"

"Do what?"

"Blame others for your problems," the man puts his arm tenderly on the others shoulder.

He starts blubbering, "I know."

"Would some lunch make you feel better?"

He nods, "Yeah, yeah I think it would."

They walk upstairs together to go get their lunch. I stand in silence, "Did anybody else just see that?"

I hear some laughter, "Yeah that was…. I don't know what to say," We all laugh.

"So who's all here? Everyone safe and sound?" it was Lilac's voice.

"Prim's here!" Prim says.

"Lily."

"Nick," I say, it feels weird to say my own name.

"Kenyan,"

"Kenyan?"

We all grow quiet. It's a while before more is said. Kenyan comes to the edge of the cell and squints through the dim light. On the opposite side of this dungeon like room, a girl appears much like Kenyan did in his cell. Although she looks filthy and malnourished, she is still very beautiful. She has long brown hair. I can tell that if it wasn't so knotted, it would have some wave in it. She has soft cheeks and emerald green eyes. Her chapped lips pull back into a smile, "Kenyan?"

I look at Kenyan, his eyes soften. He no longer looks on the verge of tears. His blue eyes now glimmer and glisten much like they did the day he told us of this girl, "Jess? Is it you?"

She bites her lip and nods. Soon her tears are flowing, "Yes, it's me."

Kenyan breaks down. He falls to the floor and actually starts crying, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for any of this to happen to you, I tried to quit, but then they took you and…"

"Kenyan, they told me what you did. How you refused. I feel bad because I know you did it for me. So how's Maple, did she make it back? She said she was going to try to get back."

"We found her on the train."

Maple comes out from the shadows and shows herself. Maple and Jess hug each other. Footsteps echo down the stairway, the guards are coming back. Maple goes back into the shadows.

I am surprised to see that there are more than two guards. They each go to a cell, put a bag over our heads, and tie our hands together. We are led back up the stairs and pushed to the ground. The bags are taken off of our heads. We are on our knees in front of a man. He sits in a tall chair as if it were a throne. He is short, fat, and bald. He has a purple suit on.

"President, sir, we found the runaways. What do you wish for us to do with them?"

I look to my left and my right. I see that Jess is up here with us. I look up at the president. We waves a finger dismissively, "Let them go home."

"But sir, they've broken the law."

"I don't really see a need to keep them around though so let them go home, return them to their original lives."

All of us, including most of the guards stand there in shock. Why is it so…easy?

One last guard drags in a struggling Maple, "I found her sneaking around, what should we do with her?"

"I don't really see a need to keep her around," the fat man said. "So let her go home," is what I thought he was going to say, but that is not what he said. His words still ring in my ears and the sight still plays over and over in my mind, "So kill her," and a gunshot as Maple falls to the floor.

**I need some reviews! No like seriously, I **_**need **_**them!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Happy Turkey Day! Anybody else excited to stuff their face tonight?**

Chapter 16

I hear a gunshot then I watch Maple's lifeless body fall to the ground. Her head is opened and I can see her brains. Blood starts to puddle around her body. Kenyan and Jess try to run and help her but guards hold them back.

I wake up. I've been reliving this scene in my life every night for the past month now. You'd think I'd be able to get over it. The strange part is though is that it doesn't bother me as much as I feel it should. Yes, I keep seeing it, but I don't gag or cry over the thought of it. I shiver as I come to my conclusion: it feels normal; like it's just a part of everyday life.

I get out of bed and get dressed. Today is Friday. Prim gets up to. She pulls a dress out of a pile of clothes we brought over from my mothers room.

I haven't seen Mom since we were being held prisoners at the Capitol. It doesn't bug me though, I just feel relieved. I realize that might sound kind of harsh but it's true. If they killed her, she'd be put out of her misery and be with my dad again, however, if they're torturing her. I think about that for a while. She might laugh. She's been known to laugh when she cuts or burns herself in the kitchen; I've even seen her do it on purpose once.

Prim and I have a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. Prim takes a bite and frowns at it, "What's wrong Prim?"

"It doesn't taste the same," she sadly looks down at it and takes another bite.

"Yeah, I've noticed that too. It doesn't taste as… sweet."

We both take another bite, "It's just weird," she finally says. She finishes the cereal though and we head off to school.

Prim subconsciously grabs my hand and we walk to our first class. As usual, we avoid our lockers until the end of the day. The last few weeks we've been sent to the Capitol, but Prim hasn't been to Josh's house in a long while. I put in the combination for mine at the same time Prim does hers. I hold my breath as I open it…empty. I laugh hysterically, "There's nothing. I'm not going tonight!" I'm nearly yelling.

Prim laughs, "I've got nothing too."

We laugh for a while. Once we're done, it gets really quiet. I feel stupid for asking but I know I have to, "So… what do we do?"

"I don't know. When was the last time you got the weekend off?"

"Once two years ago."

"What did you do then?"

I blush in embarrassment, I hold my hand up to my face to muffle my words, "I got on the train."

She smiles, "Did I hear that right? Say it again, this time without the hand."

I look away, still blushing, "I got on the train."

She laughs hysterically, "Why?"

"I didn't know that no costume meant no work," I wait for her to finish laughing, "So when was the last time you had a free weekend?"

"Three years ago," she shuts her locker, "When I didn't work."

"You've never had a free day?"

She shakes her head, "Nope, not one."

"So what did you do on weekends before you started working?"

She thinks long and hard, "I played with Thresh," she looks down and twiddles her thumbs. She's feeling guilty.

"Do you miss him?" it's been almost two months since she came here. She looks up at me with her sad, blue eyes. Soon the tears start flowing. I take her into a hug and try to comfort her.

"I miss him so much," she blubbers into my chest.

"Well, we don't have anything else to do this weekend, what do you say we pay him a visit?"

She wipes her tears and nods. Almost as soon as she wipes them away they return, "But they took your mom, what if they took him too?"

"I can call before we leave, would that be good?"

Again she nods, "Yeah that would be good."

We walk home in silence. Prim rests her head on my shoulder. As soon as we get to the house she goes to take a nap. I dial Prim's old home number into my phone. I wait patiently as it rings. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. I'm starting to get nervous but then the phone picks up, "Hello?"

"Hi, um, strange question, but may I ask who I've called?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. You've called the Mellark household."

"Is this Thresh?"

"Yeah it is, why?"

"I'm sorry, but are your parents around?"

Silence. After a second or two he speaks again, "Um, no. They've been… out of town."

"Thresh, I'm sorry to ask you this but how long have they been gone?"

"About a month."

Crap, "So you've been home alone this whole time?"

"Yeah, well I've gone to some friends' houses and stuff. My parents are coming home soon right?"

"We're going to be coming very shortly."

"Wait, who are you?" Before I can answer his question I hang up. I look at the phone for a while deciding if I should call him back or not. I decide not to.

I sit at the kitchen counter for about twenty minutes. Finally, Prim comes out of my bedroom, "Well?"

"Thresh is there."

"And my parents?" I look down at my hands, "Oh, oh I see. Ok so um," I can tell that she's trying to hold back her tears, "So how are we supposed to get there?" Her voice finally cracks and she's crying. I hold her and stroke her hair gently.

Once she's finally quieted I say, "You know, we don't have to go. We can wait until next weekend and just get off in twelve with the train."

"No, we have to go this weekend. I can't leave him alone any longer."

"Then we can hop on with the returning train or find some one with a hover car."

"Do you know anybody with a car."

I cross my arms and frown. I probably look like a two-year-old, "Yes."

"Well? Who is it?"

I continue to pout, "Lucy."

Prim laughs, "This is going to be _easier _than I thought."

**Kind of short, but I still want reviews. By the way, did anybody understand Prim's joke because I'm not sure how clear it really was.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Those of you who got the joke: I applaud you. Those of you who didn't this is how it goes: This is going to be **_**easier **_**than I thought. Easier. Easy. Lucy's a slut. She is easy. Make sense now?**

Chapter 17

Prim smiles at me like the little devil I know she is, "You know what you're going to have to do, right?"

"Prim, if I'm not going to with you, I'm not going to with anyone!"

"Hey, I never said you had to go all the way. Just some making out should do it."

I frown at her, "I don't want to."

She starts sounding like a couch pep-talking his players, "You just got to suck it up. Close your eyes go to your happy place. Pretend it's me."

I continue to mope around, "Fine."

She pulls at my arm to get me to stand up. It takes a long time, but finally I do. I let her lead me out of the house, "Which way lover boy?"

I frown and start stomping like a little kid, "This way." We walk down many streets. Finally we arrive at the large mansion.

"You never told me she was the mayor's daughter."

I shrug my shoulders, "I never told you anything about her. It's Lucy, everything you need to know, and some things you do not, she will freely tell you." I look over Prim's face. Her eyebrows are slightly peaked up like she's concerned, "You're not having second thoughts are you? Because we can always find another way."

She scowls at me, "Do not try to back out of this one. We need that car."

I sigh heavily, "Fine, go wait over there or something." Prim gladly sits at a bench in the town square.

I take in a deep breath and walk up to the huge double doors. I knock three times. Don't answer. No one's home, please let no one be home. The doors open wide after a few seconds. Lucy is standing in the door way. She's wearing flannel shorts and a tank top, I think they're her pajamas. She was holding a tub of ice cream until she saw me in the doorway, then she threw it to the side. "What are you doing here Nick?"

"Can I come in?" before she can even finish nodding her head, I am inside. The room is huge. Arches go all the way up and around the ceiling to make it like a dome. I kind of want to shout to see if it echoes, but I refrain.

"What is it Nick?"

I wrap my arms around her. I want to pull away desperately but force myself onward, "I was wrong, I want you," my words sound strange and very forced, but Lucy doesn't seem to notice.

"Good because my parents aren't home and I was starting to get bored," She throws her arms around my neck and wraps her legs around my waist. She starts kissing me. Suddenly, she pulls back, "Wait, what about your girlfriend?"

I bite my lip and again force the words to come, "What about her?"

She goes back to kissing me. She stops and leads me to another room. She closes the door behind her. I can tell it is her bedroom. Her bed is flowered in pink furry pillows. She tries to pull me to the bed but I won't move. She looks at me, slightly confused. "Do you want to get out of here?" I ask.

She continues to hold her look, "What?"

"Do you have a car? Let's go somewhere, let's leave."

She smiles. Does she think were eloping or something? "Yeah," the smile never leaves her lips.

She walks me into the kitchen and opens a drawer. She holds the keys above her head. I try to take them but she pulls them away and starts kissing me again. She grabs my hand and fingers my ring, "You won't need this when I'm done with you." She goes back to kissing me. She moves her hands up and down my chest. She pulls at my shirt. Without even thinking, I put my arms around her. I grab the vase of flowers behind her and break it over her head.

She didn't go unconscious like you see in the movies. She just took a few steps back and put a hand up to her bleeding head. I jump as she starts shouting at me, "Nick, what the? Why would you? What were you?" none of her questions seem completed.

I grab her at the waist and throw her over my shoulder. I grab the keys she dropped on the floor and a couple dish towels. I run out the door with her. I turn in circles looking for the car. Finally, I find it.

I throw her in the back seat. It proved very difficult to keep her in the car when I started it. I ended up having to drive with one hand while the other held her hands together. I tried my best to tune out her screaming, but that was even more difficult then driving.

I pull out of the driveway and into the town square. Prim stands up and hops in the car. She's all smiles until she looks in the back seat. "Nick! Why did you bring her?"

I throw the dish towels at Prim, "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. But for now can you just get her to be quiet?"

Prim's jaw falls open, "So what? Now we're kidnapping her?"

My eyes follow the road, "Yeah I guess, just get her quiet!"

Prim looks at the dish towels then back at Lucy, she does this a couple of times. She glares at me, "I am not about to gag somebody with a dish towel!"

"Well do you have a better idea? She's going to draw attention and we're going to be thrown in jail!"

She throws the dish towels back at me, "You do it."

I don't want to do it anymore than she does. I desperately look for an excuse. I cough up a laugh at my answer, "I," I laugh again, "Am driving."

Prim unbuckles and starts climbing over my seat, "That's not good enough for me." she pushes at my face and unbuckles me. I swerve out of the way of mailboxes, light posts, and yes, a couple people.

Prim finally has the wheel and pushes me aside. I climb into the passenger seat. I look at the towels then back at Lucy much like Prim had before. "I don't want to do it."

Prim mocks my words, "Well do you have a better idea?"

My face grows dark in frustration as I try to think of something, "Lucy, if you don't shut up, I am going to kill you."

Lucy shuts her mouth but now Prim is screaming at me, "So now we're murderers? This day just keeps getting better and better!"

I frown and turn back to Lucy, "Just kidding, I'm going to cut your leg off," I turn back to Prim, "Is that better?"

She pretends to focus on the road but says out of the corner of her mouth, "Yes, slightly."

We reach the edge of District 4. "How do I turn it into a flying thingy?"

I have no idea. I look back to Lucy. I jump back a little at her frightening face. Her eyebrows are knit together in anger and her jaw is clenched tightly. Her voice is rough and hard, "If you think I am going to help you kidnap me by telling you how to make the car fly, you have another thing coming."

I stick out my lip and make a puppy dog face, "Please?" she shakes her head. I shrug and sigh heavily, "Okay, well, I guess I can always cut your leg off."

"It's that lever right there!" She shouts as soon as I finish my sentence. I am awesome at bluffing! I should start poker.

Prim pulls the lever and the car goes up into the sky. She makes a sharp left turn. "Nick, maybe you should tie her up or something."

"I thought you were against this."

"I am. But since she's already here, tie her up."

"Prim, we're a hundred feet in the air; I don't think she's going anywhere."

Prim takes on an angry tone, "Look, if we're kidnapping her, we're going to do it right! Now tie her up because that's how they do it in the movies!"

I sound childish next to her aggressive tone, "But Prim…"

"TIE HER UP!"

I start rummaging through the car and look for rope or something. I mumble to myself about how I couldn't fall for a normal girl. No, instead I have one that wants to kidnap some one "the right way". "Prim, all I can find is floss."

"I guess that'll have to do."

I crawl into the back seat. Lucy struggles against it, "Prim," I say, "Where's my knife?" Lucy stills herself. I tie her hands together behind her back. I do her feet next. Lucy rolls her eyes at me and breaks the threads. In frustration, I do it again but layer the floss several times around so she can't break it. I grab her shoulders to make her look at me, "I really am sorry about all of this."

I crawl back into the front seat. "You know before all of this, your boyfriend and I were making out."

Stupid Lucy. She thinks Prim doesn't already know. Prim pretends to be shocked. She starts up her fake tears, "You cheated on me?" She sticks out her lower lip.

I play along, "I can't control myself. I am a man of high demand."

"Not this weekend." Prim and I both laugh. Lucy just looks confused. It's weird to have someone around who doesn't know about the Capitol.

Prim ruffles my hair with her right hand and leans in to kiss me. I meet her lips. We're interrupted by Lucy's screams. I turn around, "Do you really want me to cut your leg off?"

But then I hear the words in her yelps, "Birds! Birds!"

I look at Prim. She's looking back at Lucy. "Prim!" I shout, "Birds!"

She swerves the car to dodge the flock of birds but it's too late. We hit several. Blood covers the wind shield. Prim makes a disgusted face and turns on the windshield wipers, "Oops."

I climb over the seat to take the wheel, "Prim, you can't drive."

"Can't drive, can't cook. There are very few things that I actually can do. But the things I can do, _I can do._"

I frown at her. She is smiling mischievously. I know she means Capitol work, "Do you really have to say stuff like that?"

"Yes, yes I do. Why, are you jealous?"

I nod, "Madly. Just tell me why you have to say it."

"I've told you before and I'll tell you again, it makes me feel pretty."

I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, "What if I tell you I think you're beautiful every day. Will you stop?"

She nods. "Can you guys get a room? Gag me with a spoon."

Prim turns back to Lucy, "We don't have any spoons, but we have plenty of dish towels."

Lucy quiets. She doesn't say another word the whole car trip. We reach District 12 in the late afternoon. I look over to Prim. She bites at her nails nervously. I put an arm on her shoulder, "What is it?"

"He probably thinks I'm dead. What will he think when he finds out I didn't die, just abandoned him."

"Prim, don't say that. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Ok." She turns away and continues to bite her nails. It was obvious that she didn't believe me.

**Hahaha. You like? Maybe you don't. I don't really care, just send me some reviews!**


	18. Chapter 18

**This is officially the longest story I've ever written :O**

Chapter 18

I lower the hover car to the ground. We drive in silence except for Prim's occasional, "Turn here," and "There up ahead."

"This is it," she says as I pull up to a decently sized house.

Prim continues to sit in the car. She won't move. I get out and open her car door, "Come on Prim, let's go see him," I hold out my hand for her to take.

She ignores my hand completely, "I can't."

"Why not?"

She looks around her desperately looking for an excuse, "It's err, um, Lucy. If I go in she'll escape and get us sent to jail."

I look back at Lucy. She was still tied up and had by now fallen asleep, "Then I guess it's good you thought to tie her up," I hold my hand out for her again.

"She'll find a way."

"Then we take her in with us, now let's go," I hold my hand practically in front of her face now.

She shakes her head sadly, "It's no good. What will I say to him? 'Sorry, but I'm a selfish coward so I abandoned you and the rest of the family'? What will he think when he finds out the truth?"

"Prim, he'll understand, now take my hand."

"No matter how hard I try, I can't bring myself to move."

"You haven't tried at all Prim."

"Yes I have. Ever since you put your hand out the first time my mind has been screaming for me to grab it but my hands won't listen!"

I sigh sadly. I reach over her and unbuckle her seat belt. I pick her up with one arm behind her knees and the other supporting her back, "Should we get Lucy?"

Prim looks to the back seat, "No, she's asleep. Besides I just said all that to stall."

"Yeah, I know."

I carry Prim's light body up the steps to her front porch. I look down at her, "Think you can stand on your own?" She looks concerned but eventually nods. I put her down on her feet. She grabs my arm desperately to keep balance. I take a step forward, towing Prim behind, and ring the door bell.

There's a long space where nothing happens. Prim looks up at me, "He's not home, let's go."

"No, we drove this far, he better be home."

Almost as soon as I finished my words the door opened a crack. Part of a young boy's faces pears through the narrow opening. I can tell he only sees me, "Who are you?"

Prim nudges her way into view, "Hey Thresh."

His eyes grow wide and he throws open the door. He falls into his older sister. Almost instantly, her arms release me and wrap tightly around him. He puts his head in her shoulder and mumbles words I can't understand. Somehow Prim does. She strokes his hair as he stops talking and just starts bawling. Soon she is crying too. She takes her head and rests her cheek on the top of his head. It's hard to tell whose tears are whose.

Finally, they pull apart just enough to see each other's red puffy faces. Prim has her hands on each one of his shoulders; his arms are still wrapped around her waist. She coughs a sob, "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you here all alone. I didn't want to leave at all. I just," soon she is crying so hard she is past the capability of speaking.

Now it's Thresh's turn, "I thought you had died. You didn't come home from your friend's house that night and the next day there was a fire in the woods and I thought maybe you had gotten in it. You always did take walks in the woods so then the fire and," now he is again crying.

I gently nudge them inside. They willingly follow and sit down on the couch. I feel really weird being in the room, "Do you guys want me to go make you something to eat?"

Prim's face has dried, and she fingers Thresh's hair as he continues to cry into her shoulder, "Some tea would be nice," she looks down at Thresh and using the softest, kindest tone I've ever heard and says, "You want some tea? Does that sound good?" He only sniffles and nods.

I make my way into the kitchen and can only stare. It's a mess. Dirty dishes fill the sink. Empty cereal, pop tart, and other boxes crowd the counters. Soup cans, candy bar wrappers, and eaten Cup o' noodle cups litter the floor. There are sticky puddles everywhere that I don't know what they are.

I start opening cupboards and find them all empty. I open the fridge but only smell rancid meat and old fish. I start opening drawers. Finally, I find a drawer containing spices and other plants. I find primroses flowering around every spice. I guess this was his way of mourning. Off to the side of this deep drawer I see the tea packets. I grab two and turn to find their kettle. I can't find it in the piles of dishes so I find two mugs, quickly wash them and then fill them with tap water. I open the microwave. Food is caked onto every corner of it. I find a dirty rag and wipe the microwave clean. I heat the water in the microwave and allow the tea bags to soak for about a minute.

I grab the mugs and open the kitchen's swinging door with my shoulder. I look over the kitchen one more time. Poor kid, he must have been having trouble taking care of himself.

I come out and hand them their tea. They each sip at it gratefully. Soon, Thresh is asleep in his sister's lap. She gently twirls one of his loose, short curls around her finger, "You know we can't leave him, right?"

I nod, "Yeah, I know. I don't know the last time he ate Prim, that kitchen is pretty much torn apart. When I was looking for the tea packets, there wasn't anything in the cupboards or the fridge or anything."

She looks down sadly, "Yeah I kind of figured. Thresh always had people caring for him. Before I left, I don't think he ever cooked a meal by himself, well, except cereal. If cereal even truly counts."

"So is he coming to four or are we moving to twelve?"

"Let's take him to four. We need to take Lucy home anyways." Prim stays quiet for a long time, "You don't think she'll have us arrested do you?"

"Not if we pretend we're her friends and it was just one big joke." Prim nods slowly, I can tell she's very tired, "Let's sleep here tonight, we'll head off in the morning."

She yawns, "Ok, but before we leave twelve, there's some one I want you to meet."

**Any guesses on who? Review me!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Dang you guys are good at the guessing game! Most of you guys got it.**

Chapter 19

I help Prim out by carrying Thresh to his room upstairs and tucking him in under the covers. He doesn't wake, just rolls over.

Prim stands in the entrance way of a room across the hall. She leans against the door frame and crosses her arms across her chest. She stares in the room for a long time. I come up from behind her and wrap my arms around her. I have to bend down a little to rest my chin on her shoulder and get my voice in her ear, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just this was my old room." I look inside the door. Girlish clothes cover the ground. The bed's covers are pushed down to the bottom of the mattress. The closet door is flung open and the curtains sway softly as wind comes in through the open window, "It hasn't changed at all," she finally says.

I watch as she sits on her bed and looks around her sadly. I can feel the pain she has for being here. Her family thought she had died and although I don't blame her, she let them believe that. I decide to give her a moment so I step out.

"Where are you going?" she calls after me.

"Uh, to get Lucy. She'll freeze if we leave her out in the car."

Prim nods and I head downstairs to go get Lucy. I open the front door and head out into the chilly night air. I walk to the car and open the back door. Lucy wakes to the cool breeze. I grab her arm and help lead her inside. I tow her upstairs and put her down on the couch in the upstairs living room. She grunts but then happily goes back to sleep.

I leave the room and head back to Prim. As she sees me in the doorway, she wipes her eyes dry. I head over and sit down next to her on the bed. I wrap my arms protectively around her. "So you wanted me to meet some one?"

She nods.

"In the morning?"

"No, we might as well go now. He won't be up in the morning but Thresh will be. Last time I was here, mom and dad hadn't let Thresh meet him, they're afraid he's a bad influence."

"If he's a bad influence, why did they let you meet him?"

"Well, they think he's what messed me up, they didn't want the same to happen to Thresh." I allow her to drag me along by the hand. We go outside. I walk over to the car but she shakes her head, "He's just next door."

We walk over to a house that looked much like Prim's. I look up at it, "Prim are you sure, this house looks abandoned."

"That's just how he wants it to look."

I shrug my shoulders and walk up the steps. I knock on the door and am waiting for it to be answered, "No one must be home Prim." She laughs at my remark. She jiggles the door handle a little bit. It's locked. She walks around the side of the house, "What, is there no hidden key?"

She keeps walking while she talks, "He wouldn't remember where he put it anyways."

She jiggles a window free and climbs in. She reaches out her hand to help me through, "Prim, this is starting to seem a lot like breaking and entering."

She rolls her eyes, "I do this all the time. Besides, he won't call the cops, he's not like that."

I shrug and take her hand. She pulls me up through the window. She walks through the house by memory. Finally we reach a dark kitchen. I see the figure of a man with his head resting on the table. Several bottles surround him and it smells like alcohol, "Kind of seems like my weekends."

She snorts, "Don't ever go back, I like you better sober."

She switches on a couple of lights but the man continues to sleep. She walks up and shakes the figure, "Haymitch. Haymitch!" he continues to sleep. She sighs heavily and opens a cupboard from the kitchen. She pulls out a large pitcher as if it was her own home and fills it with cold icy water. She heads back to the man and pours it on his head.

He screams when he wakes up and out of know where pulls out a knife. I leap out to protect Prim but she just shrugs me away. She gently pushes down Haymitch's arm that holds the knife, "Haymitch, it's me. I'm back."

He takes in her face. His words are slurred from his drunken state, "Hey, I always knew you'd come back Sweat heart."

I look at Prim in question, "I thought you didn't like being called Sweat heart."

"No, just not by you," I feel a little offended but she elaborates, "That's Haymitch's nickname for me, I inherited it from my mother. It's just, I don't know, it belongs to him." I nod as if I get it but I don't.

Prim kind of hits the drunk in the chest to get his attention, "This is Haymitch, Haymitch this is-"

"Finnick?" Haymitch asks in confusion, "But you died in the rebellion. I mean, not that I care but if ghosts are gonna start haunting me, I need some fair warning, got it Sweat heart?"

Prim laughs, "No, this is his son, Nick."

I stick out my hand to shake with Haymitch's. He ignores it and grabs a bottle. He pops off the cap with his teeth and starts drinking.

Prim sighs heavily, "Can't you ever be sober?" a smile spreads across her lips as if it were an inside joke.

Haymitch stretches out his arms to gesture to him whole self, "Wouldn't be Haymitch if I ever was."

She laughs, "That's for sure."

Haymitch points to me, "So is he?"

Prim nods.

Haymitch busts up laughing, "I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" I feel offended by his remark but keep quiet.

I look at Prim in confusion. She looks back at me, "He knows all about it: the Capitol, our 'jobs'. I tell him everything."

After a slightly awkward silence, Prim occupies herself by examining all of the bottles on the dining table. She picks up an empty bottle of rubbing alcohol. She looks pissed, "Have you been drinking this?" The man shrugs and lifts his newly opened bottle back to his lips. Prim throws it at him. He only flinches a little bit, "You know you're not supposed to. It makes you sick."

"I've been sick for a long time Sweat heart."

I lean in to whisper to Prim, "What's the point of us being here?"

Prim doesn't bother whispering or anything, "I just wanted him to know I made it. Plus it would sound really bad if I came back to twelve without visiting him."

Haymitch slumps down deep into his chair, "I wouldn't care if you didn't visit me."

She rolls her eyes, "Yes you would. Besides, I have news."

His dull eyes flicker a little bit with interest but he does a good job to hide it.

"Not that you shouldn't already know considering my parents are missing!"

He again shrugs, "I didn't really notice they were gone."

"They visit you every day, how can you not notice!"

"I don't remember a lot of things," There's a brief silence, "Well? The news?"

"Well it's more of we need advice."

He groans, "Always want something. Always advice. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the best guy to get advice from," he takes another drink.

"Oh shut up Haymitch. We pulled a little stunt at the Capitol." He doesn't looked surprised, "Josh, you remember him?" Haymitch waves his fingers as if he couldn't forget, "Well he asked me to marry him."

Haymitch wrinkles his nose, "You said no, right?"

"Yeah, then we kind off ran off with a bunch of friends into the woods."

"You sound like your mother," He goes into a pantomime of Katniss, "Let's go live in the woods! I love the wild. Come on Gale, let's runaway. Oh but don't forget Peeta, because I hate making decisions…"

Prim pushes at his raised arms, "Okay I get it, my mom's a slut."

"I didn't say that," suddenly he seemed very defensive, "Your mother is a very strong woman and though I hate to admit it, I kind of feel she's my daughter. She loves your father a lot. All I meant was it took her a long time to figure that out." He lifts the bottle and takes another drink. He mumbles to himself and laughs, "Daughter, pft. I must be drunk."

"Well anyways," Prim continues, "One of our friends confessed the Capitol had taken his girlfriend. We purposely got captured so we could find her. Then the Capitol just let us go."

I notice how Prim leaves out the whole Maple part. Haymitch looks very confused, "They just let you go?"

"Yes. They just told us to go back home."

Haymitch presses his hands to his temples, "Ugh I can't think, these lights are too bright."

Prim gets up and turns a knob. The lights dim, "Better?"

He grunts. "They let you go? Why?"

"That's what I wanted to know. I thought, maybe, you could help us figure that out."

"Well you say they took your parents."

"Mine too," I interject.

"Well, it's one of three options," Prim and I both lean in out of curiosity, "They're either a) killing your parents as punishment b) Torturing your parents as punishment. Or c) they don't have time to deal with you because they're planning something; something big."

**DUNDUNDUN! Reviews please. Hope Haymitch wasn't all out of character. He's a lot harder to write than I thought he would be.**


	20. Chapter 20

**I am so so so so soooooooooooooo sorry! I know I've taken a long time. I've been…. Distracted :P**

Chapter 20

We say goodbye to Haymitch and head back over to Prim's house. It is well past midnight. I walk Prim up to her room to say good night. She lay in her bed and watches me for a long time, "You can get in my bed too if you want."

I frown, "Prim, you know that we're not going to-"

"We've slept in the same bed before! Besides, I was going to get a body pillow, just like back in District 4."

I nod, "Just like 4."

She goes to a closet down the hall and pulls out the large pillow. She brings it back and pulls it under the covers.

I hit the light switch and make my way through the dark to her bed. I trip over the foot of the bed and grunt. She laughs slightly. I crawl under the covers and rest my head on a spare pillow.

I stare up at the dark ceiling, "Is it hard for you to be here?"

"Here as in 12?" I nod. It takes me a second to realize she can't see my head movement so I'm about to speak but she can sense what I'm thinking and continues with her answer anyways, "Yeah, some."

"Some as in a lot or a little?"

"Some as in I'm trying to ignore it."

"Oh, sorry."

"No, it's fine," It's quiet for a long time. I don't want to bug her much more about it but soon she's talking again, "It's just that… I don't know. I never thought I'd ever have to come back and confront the people I've left behind. It hurts to see how much has happened in the little time I've been gone."

I nod again, knowing she'd be able to sense it. I hear her, as quietly as she can, bury her face into a pillow to let out a soft sob. When she's done, she quietly reaches across the bed for my hand. I take it and massage her palm with my thumb in an attempt to soothe her. It stays this way for a couple of minutes, "You know, Thresh has grown." After saying that, she soon falls asleep. I follow after.

I wake to the smell of something delicious. It smells like eggs and sausage, pancakes and bacon, and muffins. I head to the kitchen downstairs to see what's going on. Prim has pushed all the dirty dishes aside and is making breakfast. She looks up and smiles as I walk through the door, "Borrowed some ingredients from Haymitch. He doesn't cook much, but he's always got something laying around."

"Thought you couldn't cook."

"Yeah, well, I guess we'll see how it turns out."

I take another step into the room. Lucy is sitting on a stool at the counter. I stare at her in question. She is untied. Prim laughs at my face. Lucy explains, "Prim said that if I didn't run, she'd untie and feed me."

I nod and take a seat at the stool next to Lucy's, "Lucy, I think I can speak for both Prim and myself when I say that I'm really sorry about all of this. We didn't mean to kidnap you."

Lucy sits in silence. Prim continues the apology, "And we were never going to cut your leg off. Nick just… he gets carried away."

I snort, "You're the one who said to tie her."

She laughs, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

We both look at Lucy, "Is there anything we can do to have you forgive us?"

"You guys kidnapped me, tied me up, threatened me, brought me… I don't know where we are,"

"District 12," Prim interjects.

"Sure, District 12, then you left me in a car to freeze half the night. I don't know if I'll ever forgive you. And if you ever think we'll be friends again, you've got another thing coming."

Prim does a fake pout and talks so only I can hear the sarcasm in her tone, "Darn, I was really looking forward to the friendship we could have had together."

Lucy takes a sip of her orange juice, "Yeah, well you can kiss that goodbye."

Thresh walks in the room and rubs his eyes tiredly, "It smells… amazing!"

Prim laughs, "Made lots of bacon… just for you!"

He smiles, "Thanks sis, I owe you one."

She frowns, "No you don't. It's going to take a whole lot of a more breakfasts for me to make up leaving you."

He looks at her funny, "Whatever. May I please have some bacon?"

"Of course," Prim loads six pieces on his plate.

After finishing our large breakfast, only two of the pancakes were burnt by the way, we packed some extra clothes for Prim and Thresh. We all piled in the car. I started it up and started driving down the street when Prim yells, "Wait!"

I slam on the breaks, "What is it? Did we forget something?"

"Yeah, we did," She unbuckles her seat and opens her door, "Thresh get out of the car." Thresh obeys without question. Prim looks over my face, "We'll only be a minute, I promise."

She grabs Thresh by the hand and runs up to Haymitch's house with him. She knocks on the door. Surprisingly, the man answers it. He looks over young Thresh. I can tell that he is touched by finally getting to meet this member of his "family" as they kept calling themselves last night, but he tries to hide it by hiding his face behind the familiar bottle of whiskey.

Thresh sticks out his hand to shake with the man's, but like he did with me, he ignores the hand completely. Prim glares him down until he shakes Thresh's hand firmly. They talk for a while and then Prim and Thresh come back to the car. "Sorry, I just thought it would be important for them to meet in case we never come back again."

"Yeah, I understand," Prim buckles herself in and closes the door, "You know, we could invite him to come with us."

"I already did. He said he's not going anywhere. He's lived here his whole life and he plans on dying here too."

"That sounds really exciting."

Prim smirks, "I think Haymitch is done with excitement. He got his fair share back in the Hunger Games."

"Can they really be that bad?"

"I guess we'll find out soon."

"We finally getting the tapes this weekend?"

"Yeah, I've waited long enough."

**Sorry, I know it was kind of blah. But guess what I just found out? They're making the Hunger Games into a MOVIE! Should be epic:P**


	21. Chapter 21

**Again, I've been distracted. But now it's done(Sadly) and I can hopefully focus on my stories again.**

Chapter 21

Late Saturday night, we arrived back at District 4. We drove to Lucy's house. We pulled into the driveway. Lucy pulled at the handle to allow herself out, "Lucy," I say over my shoulder. She gives me a kind of disgusted look, "You're not going to rat us out, are you?"

She slams the car door shut and I turn the car off and get out. I hand her the car keys. She takes them and sighs, she mumbles angrily, "Probably not, it was actually kind of fun."

She hits the button on the keys and the car chirps. I watch as Lucy walks up her front porch stairs and quietly shuts the front door behind her.

Prim is holding Thresh's sleeping body. We walk back to my house in the cool night air.

The rest of the weekend, all Thresh does is sleep and eat. He was pretty malnourished.

Monday came around and we had to leave early for school so we could stop by the middle school across the street. I watch as Thresh pulls his hand away from his sister's when we arrive at the school.

This was my old school, so I was able to lead them to the main office. It was January now, the beginning of a new semester. Because of this, Thresh was a lot easier enrolled than Prim was.

I showed Thresh where each of his classes was and how to put in his locker combination. The middle school starts at the same time as mine and Prim's, so we had to leave Thresh there on his own as he waited for the first bell to ring.

We walk across the street. Since it was Monday, we go to our lockers and drop off some of our books. We head to our first class. Prim holds my hand uncomfortably tight. I look at her, "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried Thresh won't fit in, or he'll forget where one of his classes is, or he'll have to eat lunch alone, or what if-"

I give her a light kiss to quiet her worries. I pull away gently, "He'll be fine, I promise."

She nods, mostly to herself, and the bell rings. We walk through the door. The day drags on slowly, Prim constantly asking if I think Thresh is okay.

We walk over and get Thresh, then we all walk home together, "So, how was school?" Prim asks.

Thresh opens the front door to my house, "It was fine," then he walks straight to my mom's room which he has claimed as his own and doesn't come out until dinner.

I make us all chicken alfredo. We sit around the table eating in silence. Thresh picks at his noodles, but hardly ever takes a bite. I notice Prim notices something's up just as much as I do. "Did anything interesting happen today?"

He pushes a piece of chicken across his plate with his fork, "No."

It is silent for a while longer, but then the nosy sister side of Prim comes out, "Are you ok, you seem upset."

"I'm fine."

"Did something bad happen?"

"No."

"Do you like your teachers?"

"They're fine."

"Were the kids nice to you?"

"Prim, it was fine! My day was fine!" He looks across to me, "Thank you for dinner." And he excuses himself from the table to go to his room until the morning.

When it's time to wake up, Prim gently shakes Thresh's bed, "Time to get ready for school, Com'n."

"I'm sick," he rolls over and pushes his head back into his pillow to go back to sleep.

Prim shakes his shoulders, "Come on, I know you're not sick."

"I can't go to school, ok?"

"THRESH, YOU"RE GOING TO SCHOOL!"

He grumpily gets out of bed and eats a little bit of the breakfast I made him. The rest of the day passes much like Monday's. Wednesday the same as Tuesday; Thresh claiming to be sick. But always after school, he goes to his room, comes out for dinner, then back to his room. Thursday starts off like normal, but when we pick up Thresh, he has a black eye.

"Thresh, what happened?"

"Nothing happened Prim," he pushes away her reaching hands.

"Well, something happened; you don't just get black eyes."

"I fell ok? I fell and, er, I hit the corner of the table."

"Thresh, I don't think you fell."

"Prim, would you please just leave me alone! I'm sorry I ever came here, to 4, ok? I just want to go back home to 12! I'm tired of you constantly nagging me about my day!"

At this point we've reached home and he shuts himself in his room. Prim sits down at the living room couch and rubs her temples, "I'm worried about him."

"I am too," I admit.

"How do you think he really got the black eye?"

I give her a look. She already knows the answer. She sighs and slumps down deep into the couch's cushions. "I'll go talk to him," I finally say.

I knock on the shut door. "Go away," is all I here from behind it. I ignore the request and open the door. Thresh takes in my face, "Oh, it's you. I thought it was Prim. I'm fine with you."

I walk in and sit down next to him. "Thresh, when I was in middle school, everybody hated me."

Thresh pulls his head out of a pillow with interest, "Really? Why did they hate you? What did you do?"

"Well, they thought I was weird. My mom had some problems and that kind of put me in a bad mood at school. I didn't want to talk to anybody, I didn't do well in classes, and sometimes I wouldn't go to school at all. I'd just walk around town until it got dark."

Thresh repositions himself so he's sitting up straighter.

"They called me an outcast. When I finally did get around to talking to people, they no longer wanted to listen. My chance was gone, they had already decided what I was and that could never change. I believed them for a while but when I turned twelve," I leave out the part that I had just met Prim on our first train ride, "Something inspired me to make a change. I started doing my school work and I actually pulled out some pretty good grades."

"Did you make friends after that?"

"No. After I started getting good grades, they called me a nerd. When I tried talking to people again, I got even less respect than before. But it didn't matter, because I knew who I was. Then there was Chad."

"Chad?"

"This was the kid who decided that he'd finally had enough of me being happy with who I am, even if was something no one else wanted to be. He would day in and day out taunt me. To him I was a loner, a geek, a kiss-up, the teacher's pet. I would take his insults in silence, so one day he threw a punch at me." I smile at the memory, "That's when I finally lost it. I beat the crap out of that kid."

"Then what, did it stop? He stopped bullying you huh?"

"Yeah he did. I was suspended for a week but when I came back, nobody teased me and all of the girls suddenly started paying a lot of attention to me."

"So you made friends and you're happy to this day."

"No. I never considered the girls my friends. I had no interest in them. Because the only one I really wanted wouldn't pay attention to me. Well, she did, just not the way I wanted. We hung out… every weekend," I guess that was true, "But she seemed to only want to be friends. It wasn't until just recently that she noticed she liked me and now we're dating and-"

"You came in here to tell me how much you like my sister?" He pretends to gag himself, "That's disgusting!"

"Hey, Prim is wonderful."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

I run my fingers over his bruise, "Do you need ice?"

"No, it doesn't hurt that bad."

"He's your Chad."

"What?"

"The guy who did this to you. He's your Chad."

"Are you suggesting I beat the crap out of him?"

"Of course not. That didn't fix anything when I did it. All I mean is, don't be afraid to send out a punch or two next time." I smile and give Thresh a wink.

I get up and am about to walk out of the room when Thresh calls out to me, "Nick," I stop and turn around, "I don't know how to punch someone."

I walk back over, "Stand up."

He obeys. I form his hand into a fist. I work him step by step through the movements, where the strength comes from, where the best place is to punch someone without getting yourself hurt. "There, now you know how to defend yourself."

I walk back to the door and am about to take a step outside, "Thanks Nick."

"No problem," I stop again and say over my shoulder, "Oh, and if you wouldn't mind, maybe you could be a little nicer to your sister, she's pretty upset."

He rolls his eyes, "Yeah, whatever."

**Reviews! Next Chapter: They finally get the tapes!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry, I just realized I never described Thresh:D that would be an important factor to why he's bullied**

**Chapter 22**

**Thresh's pov:**

I wake up early Friday morning ready for whatever school will throw at me today. I reach out for the bedside table and put on my thin wired glasses. I go to the bathroom and comb my dark hair back with a brush and a spray bottle. I laugh at my reflection, "Richie Rich," it was a joke I had going on with my mom. Wherever she is.

I step outside into the kitchen. Nick has made me pancakes. I like Nick, he's a good guy. To be honest, I don't mind that he's dating my sister. The only thing that bothers me is that I'm afraid if they break-up I won't see him around anymore.

He looks over his shoulder and away from the skillet. He winks at me over his shoulder. Any other guy winking at me and I'd be creeped but with Nick, it's just his way of welcoming me into his family. Or, like now, keeping a secret from Prim. Because now I can fight!

I eat the pancakes Nick puts onto my plate. I try to eat as many as possible. I need to gain weight. I am too thin and a tad on the shorter side. Just a little.

Prim comes out of Nick's room and yawn's. She walks to the table and takes a couple of bites off of my plate before Nick notices and gives her a plate of her own. Nick sits down with us and eats. He and Prim talk about their plans for this weekend.

Prim turns to me, "Thresh, Nick and I are going camping this weekend with some friends from school."

"Cool, can I come?"

I know she'll say no. She always, every Friday for as long as I can remember, has a party or a camping trip and never ever am I allowed to come. We use to spend every weekend playing games together. From hide n' seek to regular Monopoly. Now we don't do anything together. I've lost my sister to people I've never met. She takes a sip of some tea Nick made for her. She lowers the mug, "No, I'm sorry, you can't."

"So what? I'm stuck here all alone?"

She looks really sad, what the heck? "Yes, I'm afraid you are. I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You're not sorry. If you were you wouldn't go."

Nick looks at me with an intense stare, "You have no idea."

I roll my eyes, "Can I at least meet the people you're going with?"

Prim clutches her fork tightly, "Uh, sorry, no."

"You're not going with anyone else are you?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "Guilty as charged."

I think about it. Camping, alone. I gag, "Oh gosh, you guys aren't going to, you know, get it on."

Prim spits the tea she had in her mouth back into the mug, "How do you even know about that kind of thing?"

I roll my eyes, "Prim, I'm thirteen, how would I not know about that kind of thing?"

Prim blushes, "Well, in that case, no," she mutters the last part mostly to herself but I can still hear it, "Nick won't let us."

I point my fork in Nick's direction, "I like this guy. A lot."

Finally, it is time to go to school. By now my hair has dried and falls in loose short curls right below my ears. I flip my hair to the left to get it out of my eyes. Prim and Nick turn to leave for the high school. I snort, Prim shouldn't be in high school. She should be only a year ahead of me.

I walk up to my first class. It was actually my most dreaded class but not today because now I can throw a punch. I rub at my bruised eye. Hopefully, that will give Jared no satisfaction.

I walk into the locker room to change for P.E. I open my locker and pull out my uniform. I take off my glasses and then my shirt. Almost instantly, I am shoved into the lockers. I turn my head to see Jared. I can't help but smile just a little.

He looks at the bruise on my left eye and laughs. "Did I do that?" without waiting for my response, he throws his first punch to the other side of my face.

I lean to the left a little and he punches the lock on a locker. He tries to shake the pain away from his hand. This is my shot. I punch him three times repeatedly in the gut. He leans over in his pain. One punch to his face. He stands up straight, very surprised. His nose is awkwardly crooked and blood gushes out of it. He holds it in both hands and runs from the room.

I look around me at the other boys. They all turn away and busy themselves with changing. I smile, that's right, don't mess with me.

I think about what just happened. All I can think is, that was fun! It felt so good! It seemed so… easy. I don't know why, but the result afterward, his blood, was even more satisfying. I was good at fighting, and I liked it! I thought about how evil I sounded to myself. Evil, but everything felt natural. Then I knew, this blood lust was inside every man.

**Nick's pov:**

Prim and I, as usual, avoided our lockers until the end of the day. We open each others lockers, as has been tradition for the last four weeks. I pull out Prim's outfit and grit my teeth. Role playing.

It was a short black dress that spans out far. A white apron and lace tights come with it. "You're a maid," I finally say.

I turn to her. She is still admiring my costume from inside the locker. She's trying to hold it back and cover her mouth with her hand, but she's in hysterics. She gasps for breath, "Well, you have a shirt this time!"

"What am I?"

She tries to speak but her laughter keeps interrupting her. After waiting a good long while, I take a step over to see for myself. I stare at it with horror. The green hat and feather, the short shorts meant to be pulled up high, the plain white shirt, the decorative suspenders, "A yodeler?"

She laughs and nods her head, "Uh huh."

I feel like screaming, "Really? A yodeler? This is by far the worst costume I have ever gotten!"

Prim throws her costume into her bag, lets me do the same, and takes my hand while we walk across the street to get Thresh, all the while, she is laughing. "I can't breath!" She coughs out in between violent giggles.

"Don't hurt yourself there."

Finally, she calms herself to the point of just a few giggles. Thresh walks out with a cocky smile; that's my boy. He must of done good today.

Prim ruffles his hair, "Looks like someone had a good day."

He smiles brightly, "Sure did."

When we reach the house, Prim excuses herself to the bathroom. Thresh smiles at me, "Dude, I broke his nose!"

My jaw literally drops, "Holy crap Thresh! Did you get into any trouble?"

"No, not yet anyways."

"Oh my gosh I can't-" Prim came out of the bathroom and we pretend to busy ourselves in the kitchen cupboards.

Prim comes out and fixes herself a plate of nachos. We all steal a couple of bites. A couple of hours pass. I look at the clock on the oven, "Oh, crap, Prim we have to go!"

She looks really scared, "Why, what time is it?"

"Fifteen till, we'll have to run!"

Thresh gets confused, "You have to run to go camping?"

Prim grabs her bag from the counter, "Getting a ride with some friends, if you're late they leave you." She kisses Thresh on the cheek, "Bye, love you!"

He mumbles the words, "Yeah, I love you too."

I wave over my shoulder, "See ya little man!"

We're out the door. We run as fast as we can to the train station. I feel like we've made it in time, but something is off. I can tell Prim feels it too. She looks behind her and stands speechless.

"This is where you guys go camping?" Thresh had followed us.

Prim was frantic, "Thresh, you have to leave!"

"Why should I?"

I can hear the train starting to close in, "Prim, we're running out of time!"

"Thresh, you have to go. If they see you… you just have to go. You need to hide. I'll explain when I get home but for now, get out of here."

Thresh stands there inquisitively. He was trying to test Prim, "What's with the train?"

By now, tears were falling down Prim's cheeks, "Please Thresh, just run. I'll answer all your questions when I get back."

The train was getting closer, it's not too far away now. "THRESH, LEAVE!" I was surprised that this was not Prim, but my own voice making the command. He stands there in shock at my ferocity but then hides behind an old abandoned building just as the train pulls up.

We get on to the usual train cart. Lily and Lilac run to their crying friend, "Prim, Primalyn, what's wrong?" Primalyn was their little nickname for her.

"Nothing, I'm okay now. Thresh just followed us, and I was afraid they would see him, you know?"

They all nod in sympathy, "He hid in time," I say.

I walk over and sit down on the couch next to Kenyan, "Hey Dude, what's up?" He seemed just as pissed off as usual. What the heck, didn't we find him his Jessica? "So what's wrong with the world today?"

He points to the chair next to him. Jessica lay in it asleep, "They decided to have her come from now on."

"Oh, bummer."

He nods sadly, "How can you stand it with Prim?"

I shake my head sadly, "I've learned to keep everything as two different lives. Here, Prim is not Prim."

He nods like he understands but I know he doesn't.

The conductor's voice comes over the intercom and we all change into our costumes. Everyone gets a kick out of mine.

Finally, we reach the Capitol.

**Prim's pov:**

I let the guards lead me to tonight's home. I don't even listen to the guy as he tries to introduce himself. I blackout early. Good, the less I remember, the better.

Morning comes and I wake before the man. I scowl at his ugly face. He's actually not that ugly, he just seems that way to me.

I find his TV room and look through his tapes. I search over and over and over again, but I can't find one Hunger Games Tape.

I feel sad, like I haven't accomplished anything, and I haven't.

When the time comes, I am taken back to the train. I find Nick, his arms are crossed over his chest like he's trying to keep warm, "I couldn't find any," I admit.

He uncrosses his arms and pulls out two thin discs, "That's ok, I got both."

I smile widely and kiss him, "I love you!"

**Wow, long chapter. Reviews! And they finally have the tapes! MERRY CHRISTMAS!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The train pulls up to district 4 and Prim and I get off. We walk to my home in a comfortable silence. We find Thresh sitting on the porch stairs waiting for us.

"So, are you going to answer my questions now?"

Prim shrugs her shoulders helplessly, "I said I would."

Thresh thinks over his first question very carefully, "Where were you guys last night. Where were you really?"

Prim doesn't answer. Nor do I. Prim looks up at me and bats her eyes. She wants me to explain it. I look to my left and my right. A couple of people walk the sidewalks, "Why don't we go inside to discuss this."

Thresh nods and opens the door. We follow him to the dining table and Prim and I both sit across from him. "So where were you?" This time he just asks me.

I think over it very carefully, "We were, uh- er," this would be the first time I tell anybody about this; it was actually kind of scary. It's like that feeling you get when you know you're doing something wrong. Not that telling Thresh is wrong, but it still felt that way, "We were in… the Capitol."

Thresh rolls his eyes, "Don't lie to me. I'm not an idiot; the Capitol went down over fifteen years ago."

Prim shakes her head sadly, "No, that's just what people thought. The Capitol keeps itself a secret now for protection but still very much exists."

Thresh still doesn't believe us, "Okay, so say the Capitol did exist, which it doesn't, what would you be doing there?"

Prim's eyes swell with tears and she looks at me for support. My mouth opens to answer but no words come out. I try again, but it's a very embarrassing thing to confess. I decide to give him a ballpark answer, "The Capitol forces us to work for them."

"Work? Work doing what?"

I stumble over my words as I try to decide how to say it. "Some might say we entertain. Or others might say we "walk the streets" although we've never really walked the streets literally, but it's that sort of a thing. I've heard people call us-"

"You're prostitutes?"

I avoid eye contact with him, "Uhhhh."

He busts up laughing. "Oh my gosh, you're prostitutes!"

Prim gets angry, "It's not funny Thresh! It's awful."

Thresh quiets himself, "Yes, I'm sorry. How can they exactly force you to do that?"

Prim looks at her little brother with cold grey eyes, "By threatening to kill you."

"Oh, oh I see," He grows quiet. He speaks very timidly, "Is that what happened to mom and dad?"

Prim doesn't cry. Her face stays very serious, just a small nod, "Yes, it is."

"So what, you tried to quit?"

I speak up, "We tried to runaway."

Prim finishes the story about Josh but how he doesn't cause problems like asking her to marry him anymore. She also tells him about our time in the wilderness and rescuing Jess and she even tells him about Maple.

Thresh sits there quiet for a long time, "You guys are really good liars, but I still don't believe it."

Prim clenches her jaw in frustration, "We just told you our darkest secrets and you won't even accept that they're true? What will it take to convince you?"

"Proof."

"Proof? We don't have any proof! What are we suppose to do take you with us next time? Not happening! And what about-" I tap on Prim's shoulder to stop her and pull the two discs from my bag.

I show them to Thresh, "Okay, there's your proof."

"What is it?"

"Hunger Games. One's the year my father played and the other's the year your mom played."

"But Hunger Game tapes were banned from the districts."

I smile smugly, "I know, we got them from the Capitol."

"How do I know those are Hunger Game tapes? I mean, they could be anything."

"We were just about to watch them. You could too if you wanted."

"No!" Both Thresh and I look at Prim.

"Com'n Prim, why not?"

"It's too violent and I don't want you to see mom like that."

"I can handle it."

"Yeah, he can handle it."

Prim glares at me for my comment. After a long time, she gives in, "Fine, but if I say you have to leave, you leave."

I go put the first disc in. We wait as the TV loads. I sit on the couch. Prim makes herself comfortable in my arms. Thresh lays on the ground in front of the TV.

The tape begins. In big letters reads "The 60th Hunger Games."

"This one's my Dad's." Everybody nods at my comment without much thought.

It begins with the reapings. Each person that gets called up or volunteers, I can't help but think, "You're going to die in these games. You're going to die and you don't even know it."

The district 4 reapings come. I watch as my father's turn to go up comes. He walks up onto the stage, strong and confident. I stare in wonder; that is my father. Prim gasps, "Wow, he's so young." She looks at me, "Nick, you look just like him." I allow myself a smile. People have told me that before but now that I've actually seen this man, it feels more real and more like a compliment.

They go through the interviews and then the real game begins. I watch as my father wins his trident in the blood bath. He runs to the woods. The cameras follow his expert fingers as he weaves a giant net the next few days. He sets up his trap. One by one, tributes find themselves caught and then my father comes in and stabs them with his trident.

**Prim's pov:**

At first I just saw Nick's father killing. Killing, killing, killing; he seemed like a monster. But come around the third person caught in his net, the cameras do a close up on his face. The girl in the net pleads and cries. Finnick stabs. But in the close up, you can see the tiniest bit of hesitation and then the shocking sorrow in his eyes that follow. Any other person wouldn't have sensed his grief, but I could. His eyes reflected his pain the same way Nick's do every time I walk in to a Capitol man's house.

**Nick's pov:**

The final person is captured and killed. The cameras do a close up on his face. He shows no emotion besides pure exhaustion. The young boy that I can hardly believe is my father stands there in disbelief as the voice from the Cornucopia announced he has won. I look over his face closely; he looks like he might throw up. He looks like he just found out something horrible. But he won, he should be happy.

He leans on his trident heavily and closes his eyes tightly like he's trying to wish it all away. He opens his eyes suddenly and without warning. They are wide. He doesn't look sad, just scared. The words leave his lips in a soft whisper "I'm going to hell."

The tape goes black. You can tell they tried to cut that part out.

Thresh rolls over on the ground, "That was short. It couldn't have lasted more than a week."

I nod to Thresh, "My mother once told me that my father's games were the shortest ones to ever be finished."

I feel kind of sick. My father killed so viciously. It was awful; he was awful. Prim rubs my back soothingly, "Are you okay?"

"He killed all those people and he didn't even care."

Prim frowns, "He cared. His eyes got sad the same way yours do."

"I didn't know my eyes got sad."

She smiles, "They do." She gets up and puts in the other disc.

These games start much like the other one did. The district 11 male is called to the stage. Thresh looks confused, "That guys name is Thresh too?"

Prim laughs a little to herself, "You were named after him dummy."

"But why? He's the enemy here."

"I don't know. I thought the same thing when they announced the little Rue girl. You know, because that's my middle name, we'll just have to watch and find out."

The district 12 girl is called. Prim gasps, "That's mom's sister, Thresh! That's Aunt Prim!" We watch as Katniss takes her sister's place.

Then Peeta is called up. Prim gets confused, "Mom and Dad were in the same Hunger Games? But only one person gets out alive."

I shrug, "I guess that's why your parents started the revolution."

I watch in interest as Peeta declares his love for Katniss in the interviews, as he joins the careers in the games in order to protect her. I also notice how Katniss tries to kill him with tracker jackers.

We watch as Katniss and Rue form an alliance and a friendship. I nudge Prim in the ribs. I watch Rue get stabbed and Katniss kill the attacker. I notice Prim starts singing along as her mother sings to dying Rue. Prim looks to me, "My mom sang that to me as a lullaby."

Katniss is sitting in a tree when the announcement that there may be two victors if they are from the same district comes out. Katniss nearly falls off her branch as she screams Peeta's name.

We watch Katniss find Peeta and nurse him back to health. She goes to get medicine when the girl from 1 catches her. She's just about to kill her when Thresh hits her with a rock. "Did you kill that little girl?"

Katniss tells him of her and Rue's friendship and he lets her go.

She manages to save Peeta with the medicine and then they have to go back to the Cornucopia for water. I watch as mutts maul Cato. I can't help but wonder if they're the same type of mutts that killed my own father. Finally, Katniss puts him out of his misery with her bow and arrow. The announcement comes that says there will actually only be one victor. Katniss raises her bow to Peeta but after seeing he wasn't going to attack, lowers it. She pulls out some berries and the tape stops.

Thresh looks confused, "That's it? There's no more?"

Prim shuffles in her chair, "No, there's more. The Capitol just didn't want us to see it."

I look at Prim, "Well?"

She lowers her head sadly, "My mom didn't love my dad."

"Well she must've learned to love him, otherwise I don't think they'd marry."

"Yeah, I guess." She still doesn't seem entirely convinced.

"Other than that?" She stays really quiet. It's not about her parents love anymore, but something is troubling her. Is it troubling her? I can't tell. "What's going on in your head; what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking… I'm thinking that I would be able to do that."

**Reviews!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The next week passed slowly. We had a ton of homework and no time to talk or goof off. It was a relief, however, that we didn't have to work this Friday. I raise my eyebrows at Prim excitedly at the empty locker, "We just turned in all our essays, took all our major tests, and now we don't have to work. I don't think I've ever had this much free time!"

Prim laughs at my excitement but seems a little detached, "Yeah, I know what you mean," she looks down at her feet worriedly.

I grab her chin in my hand and gently guide her eyes up to mine, "Delicious, what's wrong?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "There's so much time I don't know what to do with it." It sounds more like a question.

"Prim, what's really wrong? Why are you so worried?"

She chews at her lip nervously, "We had the week before last off too."

I throw my arms around me motioning to life in general, "I know, isn't it great!"

"Nick, I was just thinking that, I don't know, what if Haymitch was right? What if the Capitol was planning something big and the only reason we're not working is because they need to focus their attention on this big project and not so much on us."

I try to imagine it but cannot, "It's just a free day Prim."

"But what are the odds! We've never had a free day, not one, until last week and it just so happens that we get it on the same day. Then we get another free day, on the same day, today. That kind of thing doesn't happen unless it was planned."

I try to imagine it again, this time it seems more possible, "Well, what do you think they're planning?"

She shrugs her shoulders helplessly, "I have no idea."

We walk across the street to get Thresh. We start the short walk back to my house, "Thresh, we're going camping this weekend." I think we could all use a little vacation.

He rolls his eyes at me, "You already told me the truth, you don't have to lie about camping anymore."

I smile, "No, this time we're really going camping and you're coming with us."

He looks confused, "We're really going camping?"

I smile and nod. Prim holds onto my arm, "I've always wondered what camping would be like, it won't be like when we ran away will it because, no offense, but that fish was gross."

I chuckle, "No, this time we'll have a tent and blankets and we'll pack food."

She smiles, "Will it just be us or should we invite the rest of the group?"

"I think we should invite them, it'll be nice for Thresh to meet them."

We reach the house I tell Thresh to go start packing because we're leaving tonight then Prim and I start making the phone calls. Everybody is in; we decide to meet right outside of District 7 since it is pretty much in the middle of where everyone lives. It'll be about a two hour walk so we pack all of our stuff into backpacks and head off.

It was a refreshing experience to go backpacking. I think Prim and Thresh enjoyed it too. It was about half an hour before the sunset that we got there. We were the first ones there besides Kenyan and Jess. Kenyan seemed happy for once, he smiled and introduced him and Jess to Thresh.

About ten minutes later, Lily and Lilac show up. "Oh my goodness!" Lily exclaims.

"He's adorable!" Lilac finishes. They walk up to Thresh and pinch his cheeks. He swats at them harmlessly.

"Com'n guys, don't treat him like he's a baby," Kenyan speaks up, "He's like only a year younger than me."

They laugh, "You know what? You're completely right." They walk up to Kenyan and pinch his cheeks, "Awwww, he's so cute." They laugh and return to Thresh to introduce themselves.

"I'm Lilac."

"And I'm Lily. You can tell us apart because I'm just a little bit taller."

Lilac looks about her, "Where's Sanders, I thought he'd be here by now since he only lives in 6."

Everybody shrugs their shoulders. Lily, then Kenyan, then I try desperately to start a fire. Once again, it's Lilac to get it started, "Aha, looks like I've still got it!"

We all huddle around the fire for warmth and watch as the sun dies down.

"Did you hear that?"

We all look at Jess. "Hear what?" I ask.

"There's something in the bushes." There's a loud rustling in the bushes followed by a deep, hollow growling.

Lily clutches onto her sisters arm, "I heard it! I heard it!"

"What do you think it is?" Prim asks.

"I don't know," Thresh begins. It's silent for a while, "Sounds like it left though so we should be s-"

Two large creatures leap from the darkness into view. Lily screams loudly, Prim digs her nails into my arm, and Jess is hidden in Kenyan's arms. The two creatures start laughing wildly. Now in the fire light, I can see that it's Thereasa and Sanders. Sanders laugh is deep while Thereasa's resembles more of a hyena's. They high five and sit around the fire with the rest of us.

"Well it took you long enough," Lily says.

Thereasa gets defensive, as always, "Hey, I live all the way out in 11. I had to walk farther than all of you."

Lilac tries to hold back her smile but fails horribly, "Doesn't explain why Sander's is late."

Thereasa doesn't bother hiding her blush or beaming smile, "He came out and met up with me so we could walk together."

He puts his arm around Thereasa's shoulders in a casual way, "Yup, and seeing the look on all of your faces when we scared you was worth the extra time walking."

Prim laughs, "Oh yes, I'm sure it was scaring us that made it so worth while," she says sarcastically and smiles at both Sanders and Thereasa together.

"When are you guys going to suck up your pride and start dating?"

Sanders only pulls Thereasa closer at my comment, "Probably never." Thereasa frowns.

We cook dinner but hardly eat any of it. We fill ourselves up mostly on roasted marshmallows. We spend the rest of the night telling ghost stories. When that gets boring, we start telling jokes.

It's Thresh's turn to tell one, "How many A.D.D kids does it take to screw in a light bulb?"

We all shrug, "How many?"

"Want to go ride bikes?"

We all laugh except Lilac, "Wait, I don't get it."

We just laugh harder at her obliviousness. In my hysterics I punch Thresh across the shoulder. He stops mid laugh and tackles me to the ground. I am so taken by surprise I don't fight back. He throws a couple of punches before Prim is able to pull him off of me. He struggles against her grip desperately, "Thresh, what has gotten into you?"

"Did you not see that? He threw the first punch."

I take off my shirt and hold it to my face to stop the bleeding from my nose, "I was only kidding Thresh, I didn't mean in any way to hurt you."

"I didn't say it hurt, just that you threw the first punch. I don't like having people punching at me."

I assume that he feels this way because of him being bullied. Must have messed him up pretty bad, "I'm sorry Thresh, I should be more sensitive about that sort of thing."

He finally calms down and Prim lets go of him. He leaves to go to the tent.

We all sit around the fire in silence. "I'm so sorry," Prim begins, "I've never seen him act like that."

We all mumble words of forgiveness. It stays really quiet for a long time. Suddenly Lilac busts up laughing, "I get it! Let's ride bikes! Because they have A.D.D!" We all start laughing again.

**Thresh pov:**

I sit in the dark tent all alone. Prim's right, what has gotten into me? I didn't mind Nick punching me, but I still used it as an excuse to start fighting again. Anything to fight! I look down at my fist. I clean the blood off my knuckles with my tongue. I let the salty goodness fill my mouth. Blood has always tasted good to me, but there was something extra good about it when it was some one else's.

**Thresh is a freak! Give me reviews on what you think!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Sooooooooooooooo sorry about the wait. I feel horrible especially since I told you guys you wouldn't have to wait this long again. Grrrrr. Well, hope this makes up for it.**

Chapter 25

In the morning, we all got packed to start our hikes back home. I nudge Prim with my elbow as Sanders doesn't start off in the direction of his home but starts to walk Thereasa to hers.

Thresh is the last one to exit the tent. He rubs his eyes tiredly, notices us packing up and begins to do the same with his things.

We walk back in silence, Prim always made sure to be in between Thresh and I. When we did get home, the same strange silence held its place.

Weeks passed, Thresh and I hardly talked and when we did, I always made sure not to punch him, even if I was joking. We hadn't worked for four consecutive weekends. I was beginning to feel the same worry as Prim.

It was a Tuesday when it happened. The day started off like any other:

My alarm clock sounds off with its steady ring. I slap the off button and roll over in bed. I nudge at Prim, "Time to wake up, you want to go get Thresh?" I had been asking her to do Thresh's awakenings since camping.

Prim sighs heavily but will not open her eyes, "Five more minutes?"

I chuckle, "Nope, last time I gave you five minutes you made us all five minutes late."

She moans and slowly stands to her feet. She picks a hair tie up from the bed's side counter and pulls her hair up into a ponytail. I watch as she walks from the room.

I get up and go to my closet. I stare into it for a short while before just grabbing a pair of blue jeans and a gray tee-shirt that I knew Prim would steal if I didn't put it on first.

I go out to the kitchen and start making omelets. Prim comes out momentarily and frowns at me, "I wanted to wear that shirt."

I shrug my shoulders, "Sorry."

She groans and excuses herself to go find something else to where. Thresh sits at the table quietly waiting for his food. I put in his usual cheese, green onions, and ham. I look at the pack of mushrooms staring in question, "I forgot, do you like mushrooms?"

He shakes his head, "No, not really seeing as I'm allergic to them."

"Then I probably shouldn't put mushrooms in it."

He laughs half-heartedly, "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

Prim comes out of my room wearing a simple dark purple shirt and a pair of fitted skinny jeans. She sits at the table and waits for her omelet. I place Thresh's plate in front of him. "What do you want on yours Prim?"

I ask her every day even though I know exactly what she wants: cream cheese, green onions, mushrooms, and cream of mushroom sauce. She looks at me and rolls her eyes jokingly, "Cream cheese, green onions, mushrooms, and cream of mushroom sauce, oh and some turkey."

I stand there a little confused, "Turkey? You never put meat in your omelets. What caused the change of mind?"

"Just to throw you off."

I smile and make her omelet then mine. Soon we are at school, barely on time. Prim and I are making stir-fry in cooking when the announcement is heard, "Code red. We are having a lock-down. This is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill."

Every body stops what they're doing and goes under the tables like we've been told to do. "Wait," Prim says and turns on her heel. I can't help but chuckle as she grabs our dish and brings it under the table for us to eat while we wait. Though they said it wasn't, everybody thought it was a drill.

I hear a loud deafening noise and the windows of our classroom shatter. The bowl Prim was holding breaks in her hands. She winces in pain at the glass shards stick painfully out of her skin. I help her pull it all out of her hands and even one from her leg. "What was that?" she whispers.

I look her dead in the eyes, "They finally did it Prim. They've been saying they would for all these years but now they finally did it. The Capitol is here."

She holds onto me desperately. "I don't think their going to go through all this without giving us any special punishment, you know, because we weren't… model employees."

Every body looks at Prim and I like we're over reacting, but I don't really care. The secret will be out soon anyways so I ignore the stares and hold Prim against me. I bury my face in her hair, "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

We hear a magnificent hover plane, no doubt what had caused the shattered windows, as it lands. They are much closer than I would have thought. I can hear several men board off. The deep clunk their boots make against the ground suggest they're wearing heavy armor and carrying deadly weapons. I can hear one say, "Come on they must be around here somewhere, check the classrooms."

Prim's grip on me tightens, she has heard it too. I dare look out the window. They are running down the outdoor hallways starting at the base and working their way up. I grab Prim's hand, "Come on, we need to go."

Everybody stares at us in confusion as we stand with shaking knees. The teacher mouths for us to get down but we ignore her. I try the door but it has been locked. I climb through the window then with quick, nervous looks around, help Prim climb through too.

We try to quietly sneak around the side of the building without anybody noticing. Two of the soldiers look our way, point and shout. I grab Prim's hand and take off running, with the Capitol soldiers trailing close behind. I shove Prim into a curve in the wall and we watch as they run past us. I lead her the opposite way they had gone.

A loud announcement is heard. It is not from the school intercom but from a speaker in the hover plane. "Hello, this is President Snow the third, if you hand over the following students: Finnick Odaire and Primrose Mellark, we will spare your lives. Thank you, that is all."

I push Prim through a random door. It's the gymnasium. Through the doors on the other side is the forest where we can escape the Capitol and all the trouble it has caused us. I yank at Prim's arm but she will not follow. I turn around, "Come on, we have to go!"

She bites at her lip nervously, "If we leave they kill all those people."

My words sound hard, cold, and vicious, even to me, "I want you safe; I couldn't care less about the rest of them."

"Nick, these are your classmates, your friends, your teachers. These are people you grew up with and you're okay with just killing them, all of them?"

"It's not like we're killing them really, the Capitol is." I was desperate to get Prim out of here.

"I don't see what the difference is when there's something we can do to stop it."

"Prim, please, just come with me."

She steps up to me and gets on her the tip of her toes. She kisses me tenderly. I can feel her salty tears running over my lips as our mouths synchronize into one fluid motion. She pulls away from me, "I don't know what's going to happen after they have us, but if I don't see you after, know that I love you."

She turns and walks slowly, fearfully, to the door we came in through. I stare at her for a moment before I run to her side. I take her hand in mine, "I love you too." We open the door together.

Almost immediately we are surrounded with soldiers. They all point their guns at us and lead us to the hovercraft. We are taken into a large spacious room. We are thrown to the ground in front of a desk, behind it is a large office chair. The back of the chair faces us but I can see fingers steadily drumming on the arm rest, they stop to wave away the remaining soldiers.

The chair turns and a tall, pale man, much resembling a skeleton, reveals himself. "Primrose, Finnick." He nods to each one of us, we do nothing in response, "You and your friends have caused the Capitol quite a bit of trouble."

Prim grows slightly confused, "Um, sir, I don't see how us running away for that short period of time could have caused too much trouble. Besides, we're not really worth having around."

The man smiles, "So funny, that's just what I was thinking."

My face grows pale and I feel like I might throw up, "Please, don't kill Prim," I blurt out, "It was my idea, I said to run, kill me." Prim looks at me in confusion, knowing it had been her idea to run away.

The skeleton waves a finger, "Oh quit blubbering, we're not going to kill you." Prim and I automatically start spitting out 'thank you' and 'you're so gracious sir', "But that does not mean we are not going to punish you." Again I grow white with fright. He smiles devilishly, "Would you like to know your punishment?"

I couldn't imagine asking what it was, I really didn't want to know. It surprises me that Prim asks so quickly, "Yes sir, what is our punishment?"

A wicked grin, "That, dear child, is a surprise. But for now we're sending everybody back to the districts in which they were born." He looks over me and then Prim, he gets much satisfaction from our grief. "I, feeling kind today, will allow you two to bid farewell, then Prim will be taken away." He stands to leave the room.

As soon as the door closes Prim and I collapse onto each other. I hold her face close to mine and kiss her sweetly. We are both crying, "I will find a way for us to be together again, I promise." I kiss her again.

"Nick, what if this is it? What if we're here now, I leave, and then they kill us?"

I kiss her again, "You think you can get rid of me that easily?" She gives me a weak smile. A minute more passes and somebody comes to take Prim away. They have to literally yank us apart from each other, "Prim, I love you!"

"I lo-" the door closed before she could finish. I haven't seen her since.

**Curious about the punishment? Send in your guesses on what it is. You don't have a guess? Then just give me REVIEWS! :D**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thank you to the reviewer who bit my head off about posting. So here's your next freaking post:)**

Chapter 26

I wake up like any other day. I slam the alarm clock off and reach out to the other side of the bed. It's been about three weeks now but it still surprises me that when I reach out, I do not find Prim's sweet, soft body. I claw myself up out of bed.

I stare down at it and frown. The whole house feels empty without her here. I stuff three pillows under the covers and pretend that she only begged me for five more minutes of sleep and was still here. I frown, this is hopeless; I know she's not really here.

I look into my closet and stare at the grey shirt Prim loves to steal from me. I haven't worn it in a long time. I figure that if she ever comes back, it'll be here waiting for her to wear. I turn and put on a plain white shirt.

I walk into the kitchen and start making omelets. I've had this for breakfast every day since she was taken. I make one, then two, then three plates. I put them all out on the table. I stare at the two empty places. If Prim and Thresh, who I am also beginning to miss but not near as much, were to walk through the door, they would have breakfast waiting for them.

I allow a tear to roll down my face. Who am I kidding? They're not coming back. It is inevitable that I will never see my Prim again.

I eat my breakfast and put the other two plates in a container. I open the fridge to put them in but the food I've been saving is starting to pile up and takes up a lot of room. I try to squeeze them in but they topple to the floor. I throw them in and shut the door really fast. This time they stay.

It is a Friday today so I grab my bag and walk to school. Without dropping Thresh off, I get there early. I go to my locker and slowly put in the combination. I long ago stopped worrying about work.

I open the locker, to my surprise there is something inside. It's not a costume though, it's a note. I read it over quickly.

Dear Finnick Odaire:

Please report to the town center at 3:00 sharp. Do not be late. If you are, there will be severe consequences.

Signed:

_President Snow III_

President Snow III

Three? That means I have to leave school early. I go to the attendance office to get a call slip. The woman behind the desk shakes her head, "Why do you need to leave?"

I frown. It never sounds good to say "Because President Snow wants to meet with me." It especially doesn't sound good when you're me. Everybody here knows I'm associated with the Capitol they just don't know in which way: good or bad. I think it over, "I have somewhere I have to be."

She rolls her eyes, "Go figure. Where do you have to be?"

I think carefully, "Uhhhh, Dentist?"

"I'm not buying it." She turns and continues on with other work.

"Look, I really have to leave early."

She completely ignores me. In anger and frustration I leave and slam the door behind me. It doesn't close at my command. It's one of those doors that close by itself very slowly so I just look like a freak.

The day passes slowly. We're making a chocolate cake in cooking. Out of my loneliness, I add poultry seasoning, just like the good old days. I gag at the taste of it but still eat every single bite.

Lunch pulls around. I don't bring anything to eat or buy food with. I go to an empty table in the cafeteria and sit down. I stare at my ring in bewilderment, what if I really did never see Prim again? I was going to marry her, I mean I never proposed or anything but I always just assumed we'd be together forever.

"Um, excuse me," I look up to see two girls. I had been so focused on my thoughts that I hadn't noticed them walk up. One is barely five foot and wears her hair in a dark, lazy pony tail, still it is obvious that she is very pretty. The other one, slightly taller smiles at me brightly. She is not near as pretty as her friend but there is something very charming about her. She pushes back a blond lock of hair before speaking, "Do you mind if we sit here?"

I nod to them that it's ok and get up to leave them alone. The darker one puts her arm around my shoulder to stop me. Confident little bugger. "No we meant we want to sit with you, not just at the table." She smiles at my stupidity.

"Ok," I say and sit down. The brunette sits at my left and the blond walks around the table to sit at my right.

"Who was the girl you usually sit with, and you know, where'd she go?"

I stare down at my thumbs quietly but the brunette looks at her friend in shock, "Kristina! You can't just ask somebody that!" She turns her attention to me, "I'm so sorry, Kristina, she's, well she is…"

"Rude?" Kristina suggests.

"I was going more along the lines of stupid."

"Well Nahla, I think you're rude," she pauses momentarily, "And stupid, you little good for nothing…"

Her insult trails off as Nahla again apologizes for her friend. "So what electives do you have?"

My mind was still focused on Kristina's question, "Her name is Prim."

I can literally see Kristina's mind racing as she tries to make the connection on where she's heard the name. Nahla catches on much more quickly, "Prim? Like the Prim? The one that they were looking for on the day of the attack?"

I nod sadly.

Kristina grabs my shoulder and pinches it painfully. Her voice is shrill in excitement as she comes to her conclusion, "So that makes you Finnick!"

I flinch at the name, "I prefer Nick."

Nahla shoes her friend's painful grip away from me, "Ok Nick. You guys were dating weren't you?"

I shrug, "We never really broke up."

Kristina looks at me, "What happened that day, where'd she go?"

I look at them sadly, "They sent her back to 12."

Nahla looks at me in sympathy, "Do you miss her."

I pull at my hair, "Like crazy!"

She pats my back comfortingly, "You guys were victor's kids, that's why they were so pissed at you right?"

I take a moment to figure out what I was going to say, "Yeah, we were victors' kids but that isn't why they were so upset with us."

Nahla thinks it over, "Well, if you don't mind me asking, what is?"

I turn my purity ring over and over on my finger, "I don't think I should say."

Nahla looks perfectly content without knowing but Kristina goes crazy, "No, you have to tell us!"

Nahla quiets her friend, "He obviously doesn't want to say so be quiet."

"Nahla, jeez, you are so unbelievably rude!"

She just rolls her eyes and shrugs the insult off. Kristina eyes me over. "It has to do with that huh?" She points her finger to my ring which I was still fingering.

"In a way, but no not really."

"Then what is it?"

Nahla stands to drag Kristina away, "He said he didn't want to say." She pulls her away. She looks over her shoulder and smiles at me, "Bye, I'll see you around ok?"

I nod and once again I am alone. My next class is long and painful. The choir sings of loves lost and it reminds me too much of me. Last period I have science. I grudgingly walk up the steps. I sit down at my desk and look at the clock on the wall. It'll take me ten minutes to get to the town center, I add another five just to be safe. I should leave at 2:45. It is now 2:20.

Halfway through the science lecture I just grab my stuff and walk out. I can hear Mr. Barnes telling me to come back and sit back down. I ignore him and keep walking. This sucks is all I can think. Mr. Barnes was always my favorite teacher, he probably just lost all respect for me and I don't blame him.

I arrive at the town's center. Not knowing what to do, I just stand out in the building's lobby. President Snow comes out of a room and waves me in. He doesn't offer me a chair so I don't sit.

"Do you know why I called you here Finnick?"

I clench my jaw at the name, "No sir, I don't."

"You're here so we can discuss your punishment."

His beady eyes stare at me and I can feel a bead of sweat start to form on my forehead. I pray that he hasn't killed Prim.

**Hahahah, cliff-hanger!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hahaha, glad you guys liked Kristina and Nahla.**

Chapter 27

My heart beats rapidly. President Snow won't tell me my punishment, he's dragging this out. If Prim's dead… well if Prim's dead, I am too. He continues to stare at me. I watch his mouth in anticipation. The lips part, "Finnick, are you familiar with the Hunger games?"

I feel slightly relieved. I know that for the time being, Prim is alive. "Yes sir, both my parents were victors of those games."

He gives me an annoyed smile, "Yes I'm aware. As your punishment we are bringing those games back. We will have a boy and a girl from each district compete in these games."

I look down in sorrow, "So you'll have me and any other trouble makers be the contestants."

I look up to see him smiling darkly, "Oh there's no saying who will be reaped." He says this but it's apparent to me that he knows every person he's going to send into these games. I hold back a cough. I know if I let it escape, I will scream. President Snow nods to the door, "You may go."

I get up and leave. I close the door quietly behind me. I shove my hands deep into my pockets and begin walking the streets. I keep walking even though I have no idea where I am going.

I look up from my feet to see that I am standing at the District's edge. I stare at the new electric fence the Capitol has put up. I stare into the woods on the other side.

This is the same forest that I first kissed Prim in. It's the same place we played hide 'n seek. I think of the game. "I heard that they invented it a long time ago to prepare kids for the Hunger Games." Prim's words ring through my head. That game scared me to death, how will I deal with the real thing?

This place brings up painful memories so I leave. I start walking again. Subconsciously I find myself at the abandoned train station. Was it really so long ago that Prim and I walked here every Friday to be taken to the Capitol? I never thought I'd say it, but I miss those days. Even if I did have work, life was so much simpler then.

I return to walking the streets. I arrive at the community center. I laugh at Prim's hatred for this place. When I walk again, I arrive home.

We haven't had television since the Capitol took over. Still, I turn it on out of habit. To my surprise, there's a signal. It's President Snow. He announces that everyone must report to the town center on Friday, May 29th. I frown, that's one week from today. I basically am being told I have one week until my death sentence.

The weekend consists of me sulking around my house sadly. In the late afternoon on Sunday there is a knock on my door. I answer it. I look at the petite figure in front of me in confusion. Without me saying anything, the girl allows herself into my house. I close the door behind her and stare at her. She brushes a straight dark lock out of her eyes. "Nahla what are you doing here? Where's Kristina?"

"Kristina? Yeah, she's one of my best friends, but that doesn't mean I have to do everything with her."

I nod, "Yeah, that makes sense but you never said why you were here."

She bites her lip nervously, "I've heard some rumors about you. And honestly, I just wanted clarification so I can call people dirty liars for saying stuff like that." She smiles brightly.

I scratch my head, "Well what are they saying?"

She opens my fridge and bites on an apple. "They're actually saying your purity ring is a lie and you're a whore."

I stand there in silence.

"It's just a rumor right?"

I stay silent.

She chokes on a bite of apple and coughs, "Oh my gosh, it's not, is it?"

I shake my head, "How did people find out?"

Her eyes grow wide almost in fright. I repeat my question. "Well, it does have something to do with why I'm not with Kristina right now."

"She told everyone? How'd she find out?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "Kristina has a weird sixth sense about stuff like that. She gets stuff out of people even if they don't say anything. I think it was when you were fingering your ring."

I can only let a small, "Oh." Escape my lips.

"I can still tell people off when they say that kind of stuff about you. I already told three girls, Kristina included, that they need to keep their overly sized noses out of other peoples business."

I laugh, "What did she do?"

Nahla shrugs, "What do you think? She called me stupid, rude, and then I walked away before she could finish."

I laugh. Nahla looks really uncomfortable, "What's wrong?"

"I feel really bad. I wouldn't have come here if I knew it was true. I just thought you'd get a kick out of what people make up about others sometimes."

I shake my head, "No it's fine. Really, it's nothing compared to what I've been through."

"So is that how you were associated with the Capitol?"

I sit down at the kitchen table and she follows. I hardly know her, but I still tell her everything about me. I explain how all the victor's children and a few others who were found attractive enough, had to work by entertaining capitol residents. I tell her how we ran away to protect Prim from Josh. I tell her about Jessica and Maple. I tell her of how I wanted to wait until we were married with Prim. I flat out tell her everything. I stop for a second, "To be honest, I'm surprised you were never called. You must have been low enough under the radar."

She laughs sweetly, "Yeah, well by the way you describe it, I'm glad I was never called." She laughs again, "A Yodeler?" she laughs again. I laugh with her. She stops. "So is that why they sent her away, is that your punishment for running away?"

"No."

"Then what is?"

"Did you hear the announcement today?"

"To meet at the town center next Friday? Yeah why?"

"They're starting the hunger games back up and the reapings are fixed so I'll be a contestant."

Her mouth falls open, "Oh my gosh, that's awful. What are you going to do?"

I hear static. I listen carefully to where it came from. "Nick?"

"Shh, just a second, I hear something." I follow the sound to my home's phone. I take the covering off and see the little electronic recorder. My home had been bugged. "Oh no." I say.

"What, what is it?"

"I just fixed your reaping."

**:O uh oh.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Sorry I haven't updated sooner. My life's been a bit of a mess lately. If you're curious, Nahla mentions it in this chapter.**

**Chapter 28**

I look over Nahla's bewildered face. I wonder for a second if she's choking on the apple she's eating but she starts breathing again, "What do you mean you fixed my reaping?"

I feel awful. I never had a chance really but she didn't have to be put in these games. It was really all my fault. If I could just keep things to myself, this wouldn't have happened. "Nahla, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Her face turns a pale white. It looks strange compared to her regular dark tone. "You mean I'm going to die? That's what you're saying?"

I try my best to appear optimistic, "Well, you could always win."

Her faces flashes bright red in anger, "I'm not stupid. I've heard what those games are like. There pretty much is no chance of winning. I'm going to die. You're going to die. Even your precious Prim. We're all dead!"

I hold my tongue and let her get her frustration out. "I really am sorry."

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten angry. You didn't mean to. It's just… This sucks you know?" She wipes away a tear and stares at it on her finger tip, "You know, I've never cried before. Not even when my friend killed himself. It's not that I wasn't sad, I just couldn't cry. I even tried to make myself, but it just didn't come. Made me feel like crap too. It's like if I don't cry, people just think I'm this cold person that doesn't care about anyone or anything but me."

"Well aren't you crying because _you're _going to die?" I didn't mean it in a mean way, but I grew afraid that that's the way it came out as.

"No, that's not why I'm crying. Don't get me wrong, dieing sucks and it scares me like hell, but that's not the thought that made me cry."

My natural curiosity gets the better of me, "Then what is?"

She blushes, "It's kind of corny, but I think it's really sad you and Prim will never really be able to be together. Only one of you, if either, can come out alive. And I don't know… dieing sucks but that, that really sucks."

I hang on to every word she says. My mind agrees with her but my mouth can't form words. If Prim were dead, how would I go on? I let a tear roll down my cheek and I finally find words, "We really never will be together." The truth sucks.

Nahla looks down at her hands. "I'm going to go home and spend some time with my family." I don't say a word as she gets up and leaves.

I don't sleep that night. I don't even go to bed. I just sit at the kitchen counter and think about Prim. I can't help but be grateful for the moments we've shared together. From eating Prim's chicken flavored cake in cooking to the wild look in her eye as she takes the wheel of the car as we kidnap Lucy. It all boils down to that first kiss. I close my eyes and my mind brings me back to the pond. Prim is ranting on and on about how tired she is of living a double life. Her subject abruptly changes to me. She can't stop talking about how worried she is that I'll be taken from her world and how she can't stop thinking about me. I flinch as I recall not kissing her right away but delaying. She thought I didn't feel the same way back. I melt as the waiting was finally over and our lips meet. I'm stuck in this one moment of time. I play it over and over again in my head.

My alarm clock sounds from inside my room. I open my eyes and frown. I had almost convinced myself it was real; that I really was kissing Prim again. I think about this Friday. Yes, Prim and I will both be sent into the Hunger Games. But Prim and I will also see each other again. Suddenly, I can't wait for Friday.

I skip breakfast and head straight for school. I am here early. I notice several people point at me and whisper. I finger the ring uncomfortably. For years I had managed to avoid being the center of people's talk. That all ended now.

Lucy comes up to me. "So I hear you've been sleeping around." I stay silent, "Why not me?"

"Lucy, you already know how I feel about Prim…"

"And obviously a bunch of other girls."

She turns and walks away. "Hey whore." Some one in the distance shouts. I get major déjà vu of the first day Prim came to 4. I expect them to be talking to Lucy but they're not. They mean me.

I turn to see who it is. Kristina. She walks up to me. She stares at my ring and smiles, "I figured it out."

I nod. I try to be nice. My life is going to be over soon anyways so I decided not to waste any time being angry at people, "Yeah, I've heard some things."

She looks up at my eyes, "Did I get it right?"

I let out a low chuckle, "Yeah, actually you did."

She does a little fist pump, "So my record stands."

"What record is that?"

"Always getting the truth when the truth isn't told. I've never been wrong."

"Well I'm really… happy you figured it out." I have to force the happy from my lips. I more of feel numb. "But if we could tone down the gossip just a little bit?"

She rolls her eyes, "I hardly told anyone."

I continue to hold back my anger. I just nod and go to my locker. She follows and fills my head with meaningless stories and rumors of other people. I try to tune her out but it proves impossible.

Nahla walks up from behind. "Kristina, can you go? I need to talk to Nick for a sec alone."

Kristina looks really hurt inside but leaves.

I look at Nahla, "So what do you need to talk about?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "Nothing really. I just figured… well who wants to spend their last days surrounded by people like that?"

I laugh, "Yeah she's a bit of a handful."

All of my classes pass slowly. Nahla and I form a new friendship and eat lunch together. Neither of us talk much because right now the only thing we have in common is our upcoming death.

The rest of the week passes like this. Rumors, Kristina, Nahla to the rescue, lunch, go home, think of Prim. Then it's Friday.

**I'll really try to stay on it and update sooner. Like I said, I don't give up on my stories but the time between updates is a bit longer than I'd ever expected.**

**I need some input. This is for if you think it would be better written this way, not a happier way for the story. Should I do traditional one-winner games or make something happen so more than one gets out?**


	29. Chapter 29

**SNOW DAY! Haha, sorry that was really exciting to wake up to now I just have my fingers crossed that the power doesn't go out.**

**Chapter 29**

For the first time all week I fall asleep to the comforting fact that the next day I will see Prim. I dream of her all night and think of her the whole morning. I eat one of her left over omelets.

I walk to school. I know that they're still there, but I don't hear the rumors anymore. I don't really hear anything but Prim's voice echoing off the sides of my head. It won't be long.

Kristina doesn't try talking to me. I don't see Nahla this morning. Not to sound mean, but I honestly don't care. I'm perfectly content to be left alone with my own thoughts.

I go to my locker and start pulling out notebook and putting away others. Something in the back catches my eye. I pull it out and stare at it in curiosity and confusion. It's a costume.

"Hey Nicole." I turn to see who has spoken. Nahla gives a quick, very short burst of laughter, "You actually responded to that."

"Guess so," I force a chuckle out of myself.

Nahla starts to unzip her purple backpack to pull something out. I watch her face turn to a concerned expression, "I was wondering if you could tell me what this is."

I stare at the shimmering silver dress in sorrow. I hate to be the one to bring bad news, "Nahla, I'm so sorry…"

"What is it Nick?" her tone sounds harsh and slightly annoyed.

"It sounds to me like you already know what it is."

She throws it down on the ground in anger, "Don't tell me that means what I think it means." She whispers but it's more of a quieted yell.

I bend over and pick up the thin cloth, "If it makes you feel any better, I got one too. I'm sure everyone going into the games got one. Even Prim."

She bites her lip and looks like she might cry but like she mentioned before, she does not cry. Not a tear. "Will I get to talk to her before hand? I mean I know I don't know her but I'd really like to talk to someone who's been through this before."

"Well I've been through it."

She lets out a nervous giggle, "No offense, but I'm not going to talk about this with a dude."

"Oh," I try to hide my embarrassment with a laugh, "Yeah of course. I'm sure Prim would be happy to, err, help you through this."

Nahla smiles, "Thanks." She takes the dress from my hands. We both stand there and listen to the long repetitious ring of the first bell. "Well, I should probably get to class."

She turns and walks away, "Bye Nahla."

"Bye Nicole." I can't help but smile.

I gather the rest of my things and go to English. I'm nearly bouncing in my seat as I wait for the end of the day when I will be reaped and see Prim.

The dismissal bell of the last class rings. I watch as groups of friends from together so they can walk together to the town center. I am surprised to see Nahla walk up to me. Her eyes are anxious and terrified, "I figured we could walk together."

"Yeah, of course."

We follow the crowd to the packed town center. Up on a stage are two huge spheres with thousands of sheets of paper inside. Nahla and I both knew that only our names were written on those sheets.

Every body talks and wonders out loud about what they think is going on. It's not until a tall, thin woman takes the stage that the crowd silences. I can tell she is older, maybe late forties, but her age is not obvious. What are obvious; however, are how many plastic surgery operations the woman has had. Her whole face looks like it has been pulled back to smooth wrinkles. She looks fake. And plastic.

She clears her throat as if to get our attention but she's already got it. "Hello citizens of District 4." Everyone remains silent, "My name is Linda Lou and I will be District 4's district escort." The crowd seems puzzled. Why wouldn't they be? They still have no idea what's going on. "The Capitol has decided to restore the old tradition of the HUNGER GAMES!" she is smiling hugely like it's the best thing in the world. "The Hunger Games give residents of the twelve districts a chance to show their skill, potential, but most of all their personality to those watching in the Capitol and the rest of Panem. We will draw a girl name," she gestures her hand to the sphere on her right, "And a boy name," she gestures to the one on her left. "The two lucky tributes will get to battle it out with 22 other contestants of the other districts. May the odds be ever in your favor."

She walks over to the girl sphere never letting that fake smile fade from her mouth. She reaches her hand deep into the sphere and pulls out a sheet. I look to my left to see Nahla popping her neck, readying herself for what comes next. "Nahla Waters." A simultaneous gasp is heard through the crowd as Nahla walks up to take her place on the stage. She no longer looks afraid or upset. She looks focused and to be quite honest, fearless.

"Any volunteers to take Nahla's place?"

I see Nahla look up at the sky and take a deep breath. I can almost hear the sarcasm in her voice as she mouths the words, "Yeah, anyone want to take my place?"

"Nobody? Then we'll move on to the boys." She reaches her hand into the second sphere and pulls out a piece of paper. I try to shake away my nerves. "Finnick Odaire."

I walk up and take my stage much like Nahla did. I push all my emotions aside and keep my expression as empty as possible. "Any volunteers to take Finnick's place?"

"Nick," I correct her.

She sounds a little annoyed but continues to smile, "Any volunteers to take Nick's place?"

I let my gaze fall on the crowd. Part of me hopes someone will volunteer for me and I won't have to go through this but the other part, the more dominant part may I add, of me wishes no one will so I can see my Prim tonight. My second wish is answered as no one volunteers.

"Thank you District 4, I'll be back next year." Lindy Lou leads Nahla and I off the stage to talk to us privately. "It's customary for you guys to go inside town hall so you can say goodbye to your friends and family."

We both nod and go inside the building. She leads us to different rooms. I wait impatiently. Who would come see me? I have no one left here. My mom's…. gone. My only friend here is Nahla. Prim's in twelve. I'm surprised to see the door open and a small blond girl walk in. It's Kristina. She doesn't really look upset though. "You knew didn't you? You knew you'd be picked."

Of course, just something new to talk about, "How'd you know?"

"Oh I know everything." She smiles but turns to a more concerned expression. "I'm going to miss having you around Nick. You were a pretty cool kid." She gives me a brief hug and then steps back, "Well I'm going to go say bye to Nahla," a tear forms in her eye, "I don't belief in having beefs with some one who might, uh, who I might not see again."

I nod and she leaves. Soon, the door opens again. This time it's Lucy. She's already got tear stains on her cheeks She takes me up into an enormous hug. This time she respects boundaries and doesn't fish to make out. "We've had some crazy times."

I can't help but laugh at the thought of tying her up with dental floss, "Yeah we have."

"I'm going to miss not having anyone around to steal my car and kidnap me for the weekend."

"I'm going to miss not having anyone to kidnap."

She smiles, "Take care ok?" I nod to her, "Oh and say hi to Prim for me, I have a feeling this isn't as random as they make it out to be."

"Yeah, I'll let her know you said hi."

Lucy leaves and I am left alone until Lindy collects us for the train.

**Nahla's pov:**

I patiently wait for my family to come and say goodbye. They come in one at a time. First my mom, then my dad. Lastly my little sister, eleven years old, comes in. She falls into my arms and starts crying. "Nahla I love you." This is the first time she's said this out loud. I stroke her tangled hair, "I love you too Kahlan."

My mind keeps racing back to the fight we had a week before. We said some really awful stuff to each other. Well, I guess now is the time to make amends. "Kahlan, I don't think you're ugly."

"And I know Mom and Dad love you just as much as me."

"I didn't mean to laugh when you cried."

"And I didn't mean to drop your toothbrush in the toilet."

"I didn't mean to- you did what now?"

She never answers, she just cries into my arms. There is a knock on the door and Kahlan must leave.

As soon as she walks out, Kristina walks in. "Hey Nahla, you still hate me?"

"Kristina, I never hated you."

"But I said all that stuff about Nick after you specifically told me not to."

I give a half-hearted giggle, "Guess that's why I love you."

She gives me a long hug, "What am I going to do without my bestie?"

"You'll figure something out."

"You have to come back, you hear me? You have to win."

"I'll do everything I can." I doubt that'll be enough.

"You know you're going to have to kill him. Nick I mean."

"I was hoping to just let somebody else do that."

"Well if you're not going to do it… just watch your back ok? You can't be sure who you can trust."

**Nick's pov:**

Lindy Lou comes to get us and leads us to the train. Here I come Prim. Here I come.

**REVIEWS! **


	30. Chapter 30

**Though I haven't written it yet, I think I've figured out all I want to happen until the end of the story:) enjoy**

**Chapter 30**

I get off the train and enter the Capitol like I've done a million times before. It's strange to think this will probably be my last train ride, my last time entering the city, and tonight, my last time entertaining.

I stand at the bottom of the train steps and suck in a deep, polluted breath of city air. I close my eyes and pretend I am at the coast lines of 4 and the sour smell is the fish caught for that day. It just now dawns on me that I will never go back home, I will never again go swimming in the salty oceans, and I will never do half the things I wanted to. I open my eyes with a fierce glare; I am determined not to let the Capitol see that they've ruined me. I've been doing it for years…

I take a step onto the street and follow Lindy Lou to a large, hotel-like building. Walking in the door I can see several kids around my age in the lobby. I feel a wave of panic and relief when I don't see Prim. I count over the tributes. There are about fourteen of them, not all of the contestants are here yet.

I look for people I know. It hurts to see almost all of my friends. Guess we really were trouble makers. I allow myself a small smile; good the Capitol deserves every ounce of difficulty they get. I can see Thereasa talking to a boy I'm guessing is from her district. An older boy tries to calm down Lily. She looks completely lost without her sister; I don't think I've ever seen them apart. Kenyan's hair is sticking almost straight out. I can tell he's been running his hands through it like he always does when he's upset which is, well, always. He tries to look strong and brave but his quick, worried glances to Jess give him away. She sits on a couch and stares straight ahead like nothing has happened. Then again, she was held prisoner in the Capitol for 4 months. She must be pretty tough. I take a mental note to watch out for that one.

Nahla looks around the room uncomfortably. I want to say something to make her feel better but the words never come. I look at Lindy Lou expecting her to show us where our rooms will be but she is talking to some Capitol residents and very obviously does not want to be disturbed.

Lily catches sight of me out of the corner of her eye. She runs to me and starts crying. Lily's always been the stronger twin; it'd be crazy to see how Lilac would act in this situation.

The boy she was with hesitantly follows. He stands at her shoulder as she expresses what's going on in her head right now. "Lilac must be so scared," she bites at her thumb nail and looks around the room. "It's so sad that all these people have left their families at home. They must be devastated, sending their kids off to die. My mom… she was real sad. It's hard to imagine what other families and tributes had to go through when they were reaped."

We all look to the door when some district 3 tributes walk in the door. They look familiar. I think they may have been entertainers. I look at their tan skin, dark hair, and similar gray eyes. They're brother and sister. Lily looks away painfully, "How could they do that? Brothers and sisters? This is even worse than I thought."

A minute passes. The boy behind her whispers in her ear and she shakes her head. Two more minutes pass and Sanders walks through the door. He and his district partner seem to be having a friendly conversation but he stops cold when he sees Thereasa. He closes his eyes, recollects himself, and walks up to her with his district 6 girl tribute and the four of them start talking. Lily looks over him with sorrow, "This is going to sound really selfish," I have to laugh at the words coming out of her lips. Lily is anything but selfish. Here she is on death roe and all she can talk about is how sorry she feels for other people, "but if any more of our friends come in I might explode. I couldn't take it if some one else I knew came in, especially not Prim."

I grow confused. I always knew Lily and Prim we're friends but for her to say "especially Prim"? Normally she would say something about how strong she thinks Prim is and hope a weaker link doesn't come, "Why especially Prim?"

Lily looks upset, confused, and guilty, "Haven't you guys talked lately?"

"No, my phones have been out. Why? Have you gotten to talk to her?"

"Yeah, she showed up at our house about two weeks ago and stayed a couple nights."

"Why? Is she ok? She wasn't hurt was she? Is she sick?" My mind races to all of the horrible things that could be wrong.

Lily puts a hand on my shoulder and speaks firmly, "She's perfectly healthy; she will be fine."

I want to question her emphasis on the word 'will' and why it has to be future-tense. I want to ask her what's truly going on. I want to ask her what she was doing at her house. I want to ask her so many questions but I don't. Because right then that glorious, magnificent creature walks through the door. I can't help but wonder how this angel has fallen from heaven or how we as humans aren't struck blind by her beauty. I watch her dreamy blue eyes search the room; I melt as I realize it's for me, she's looking for me.

At last our eyes meet. She drops all her baggage and runs to me. I run faster so I meet her about three quarters of the way from where I previously stood to the door. Our bodies collide in embracing arms. I hold her jaw in both my hands and stare at her beautiful face. It feels unreal. I try to understand if she's just another figment of my imagination or if she's really here. It's not until our lips meet that I know, she is, she's here, my Primrose.

**Finally, they're back together again! **


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Lilac's pov, two weeks ago:

The doors open automatically as I enter the store. I uneasily wring my hands around my wrists walking around until I find the aisle I'm looking for. I stare at shelf upon shelf. I had no idea there were so many. There are so many brands but each advertises about the same thing on the front of the box: Clear, easy to read results, 99% accurate, results in 3 minutes.

I grab a box of each brand and put it in my basket. I head up to the front and look over each check out desk. The shortest line is to my left but I decide instead to go three lines to the right with the only female cashier.

As I wait uncomfortably in line I look over the candy display. I grab a Butterfingers. As my turn approaches, I stop hiding the basket between me and the wall and put it up on the conveyer belt.

The ancient women peers over her glasses to give me a disapproving glare as she scans each pregnancy test. I can feel her judgment. She hasn't said anything but still I yell, "Times have changed!"

She holds her critical look without blinking. It looks like she's been sucking on a lemon, "That'll be $24.70"

I hand her twenty five and run out the door with the bag, completely ignoring the change. I keep running until I reach the car. My sister sits in the back seat with Prim. I can tell Lily's been trying to lighten the moods with jokes because they look like they've both been laughing, or crying, I'm not really sure.

I throw the bag into the backseat at them and start up the car, "Prim I got you a Butterfingers, I know how much you've been saying you wanted one."

She digs through the bag, forcing a laugh, "Lilac, I really think one could do the trick, you didn't have to get so many."

She finds the candy bar and starts opening it as I explain myself, "I didn't know which brand would work better."

She laughs again, "I don't even think I have that much pee!"

Lily pipes in with another joke, "We'll make some Kool-Aid!"

Prim takes a bite out of her candy and moans in delight, "You know, I use to hate these things but for the past two days they've been all I can think about."

I pull the car up to our house. We all pile out and walk in the door. Lily starts going through cupboards in our kitchen. "What are you doing?" Prim asks.

"Looking for the Kool-Aid packets." We all laugh. She couldn't find where they were so we made Tang instead. We mixed two flavors together to make one new one.

After Prim pretty much drank the jug by herself, she grabbed the bag of pregnancy tests and headed to the bathroom.

Lily and I anxiously wait outside. Finally the door opens. "Well?" I ask.

Prim holds a handful of about six tests, "I don't know yet, they say to wait for three minutes." I run to the kitchen and set the oven timer to three minutes.

She flicks one test uneasily in her hand, "Whoa, there's pee on that thing stop flinging it everywhere!" Lily laughs.

"Sorry, I'm just kind of nervous."

We stand there in silence for a moment.

"You guys, what if I actually am pregnant? What am I going to do?"

We look down at the floor. I speak up, "If you don't mind my asking, is there a chance that it's Nick's baby?"

I see a tear roll down her cheek, "No, he wanted to wait until we got married. I wish it were his, then we could get married and raise the kid like a normal family."

"Well whose to say he won't still marry you. I mean it's not like you actually cheated on him, you had to."

"Yeah, but whose going to want to marry me," she gestures to herself with her hands, "a pregnant fourteen-year-old whose baby's father is a mystery. Nobody's going to want to raise some one else's kid!"

Lily bites her lip before speaking, "But Nick loves you and he'll understand. He'll love the kid no matter what. He's really a good guy."

Prim calms herself down, "You're right, you're right, it's all going to work out. It's going to be fine."

The oven timer goes off. We each hold two tests each to look at the results. "Both of mine are pink." I say.

"Mine too," Lily announces.

Prim reads hers and nods, "Pink." She fights back the tears but fails horribly.

"Pink means positive?"

"Yeah, I'm pregnant." Lily and I both go to Prim and try our best to comfort her. She sniffles, "You know I lied when I said I didn't know who the baby's dad was."

We wait for her to continue but she doesn't, "Well who?" asks Lily.

"It's Josh's."

I try to wrap my head around it, "I'm confused as to how this happened. Don't they require the Capitol men to wear condoms?"

She nods, "Yeah they do, and usually he just gets it out by himself but the last time I was with him when I woke up in the morning I couldn't find any wrapper or anything. You guys, I think he meant for this to happen."

**Prim's pov, present day:**

I walk through the doors of the hotel like building. My little brother, also reaped much to my dismay trailing behind me.

My eyes search the crowd of teenagers. He must be here somewhere. They wouldn't have a Hunger Games without putting him in them. Finally our eyes lock. My heart pounds hard in my chest. I just look at him not quite sure what to do.

Finally I drop my bags and run.

I wrap my arms around him and he takes my face into his hands. We spend a long time just looking at each other. Finally I can fight it no longer and I kiss him.

The kiss was just like our first one. I get a knot in my stomach that explodes into butterflies. My heart skips several beats and my nose and ears feel red hot. The only thing that lets me differentiate the two kisses is this time the baby kicks.

**Reviews! And if, by any chance you read my lord of the flies stories' I know I've done the teen pregnancy thing before. But that's actually a big part of my life and it'll help in this story. If you haven't read my other stories, then it's all brand new to you:P**


	32. Chapter 32

**Ok so it's really late and my head is feeling all dizzy so if this chapter seems weird in anyway, it's because it is! :D **

**And BTW, Prim's more than just two weeks pregnant, she's a month? A month and a half? Three months? I don't know, since the last time I said they entertained. :P**

**Chapter 32**

Nick's pov:

My head can't stop spinning. All these weeks apart and here she is. I almost immediately want to run to a stove and make her an omelet. I have to remind myself where we are.

I feel a pair of eyes drilling their glare into my head. I pull back from Prim and look over her shoulder. Thresh stands, not more than ten feet away watching me. He does not move, does not blink, I don't even know if he's breathing. His eyes don't hold the same boyish innocence they had when I first met him. Now there's something different staring at me from behind those dark glasses, something I don't like.

I leave Prim to go greet him. "Hey Thresh, how's life been treating you?" I stick out my arm for a friendly handshake. He does not say anything; he continues to stand there motionless and stares at my arm. "How's school been?" I ask trying to start the conversation. Still he says nothing. "Ok, well I'll see you around then." I leave and return to Prim.

"Prim is he ok?"

"He hasn't acted the same since we went camping all that time ago and it only got worse after we left 4."

"Does he just not talk?"

"He doesn't talk, doesn't move unless he has to, he hardly eats, and he stares. He'll talk to me occasionally but I haven't seen him talk to anyone else." It breaks my heart to see the worry in her eyes.

Just as I'm about to try an attempt at comforting her, her escort leads her away to show her the room she'll be staying in until the games begin. Soon later my escort comes for me.

Nahla and I are taken to the fourth level of the building. We have the whole floor to ourselves complete with our own bedrooms and a shared kitchen and living room.

I go to my bedroom on the left side of the hall and Nahla takes her room on the right. I throw myself onto my bed and lay there. I feel a mixture of happiness, sorrow, and worry. I was with Prim, we were going to die, and something is wrong with Thresh. I can't get his frightening glare out of my head. I bury my head into my pillow trying to force the thought away but it remains.

I hear the door swing open. I reposition myself on my bed to see Nahla standing in the doorway. She sheepishly knocks on the door she opened herself, "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

She closes the door behind her and sits at the foot of my bed. It's silent for a long moment, "So it's pretty cool you and Prim got to see each other, right?"

I smile widely, "It's fantastic! I missed her so much it literally hurt."

She smiles, "I'm glad to hear that. So…when do you think I can talk to her?""

"Oh yeah, entertainment, I almost forgot about that. Well, if you want, I can take you up to her room right now."

She smiles a flash of perfectly white teeth, "That'd be fantastic," she mocks my strange choice of adjectives.

We get in the elevator and stare at the buttons. Since we were district 4 and had the fourth floor I thought it safe to assume Prim's on the twelfth floor for district 12.

I lead Nahla through the hall. I knock on the first bedroom door I see. After a momentary silence I open it and stick my head in. Thresh sits on the bed glaring at me. I nearly scream at his frightening presence but somehow manage to mutter a 'sorry' and close the door.

I turn to a confused Nahla, "Wrong room," I explain. She nods in response.

We follow the hall to the second room. I knock on the door. "Come in," says the voice from inside.

I open the door and stick my head in like I had in Thresh's room. "Hey Prim, I have a friend that wants to meet you." Prim smiles widely, she's always loved meeting new people. I walk in the room and Nahla follows behind. "Prim this is Nahla, Nahla this is Prim."

They both smile and shake hands, "It's very nice to meet you Prim. You're all Nick talks about."

Both Prim and I blush a little. We all stand there in momentary silence, "Well I'm going to go," I say inching my way to the door, "And leave you guys to your girl talk." I close the door behind me. A second later I reopen it, "I'll be in my room if you need me." then I leave back to my room.

**Nahla's pov:**

I can't help but think how weird this is. The only girl I actually have ever spent "girl time" with was Kristina. Other than that I surrounded myself with guys. It caused less drama, because Kristina supplied me with enough to last a lifetime.

Prim throws herself onto the bed and smiles, "So what did you want to talk about?"

I look over her glowing skin and can't help but see her enormous swollen breasts. "There's actually a couple things I wanted to ask about."

She pats her bed in a friendly gesture for me to sit down. I sit down criss-cross on the foot of her bed. "Well ask away."

I crack my neck in a nervous habit, "Well first off, and please tell me if I'm coming off too strong, but are you with…er… child?"

Her face goes white but she quickly recovers to leap from her spot on the bed and put her hand over my mouth, "You can't tell anyone!" I nod and she removes her hand. She drops her head and stares at her tummy, "Is it already that obvious?"

"No," I try to comfort her, "It's not your tummy. Maybe it's just because I'm a girl, but I could tell because your skin looks really good and I occasionally catch you messaging your chest."

She blushes in embarrassment, "Guess I've got to watch where I do that." She lets loose a small giggle at the thought of her doing that in view of complete strangers.

"The other thing was, I was given a dress and I was hoping you could…help me through this."

She nods her head in a knowing expression, "Aww, entertainment."

"Yeah, I was wondering how exactly that's going to work."

"Well, a Capitol guard will come get you, and you'll follow them wherever they take you. They'll take you to a house where you knock on the door and a man will answer. After that..." her eyes glaze over as if she's revisiting her own past experiences, "After that… I can't remember."

"You can't remember? Haven't you done this like a million times?"

She looks a little taken aback, "Well yeah, but I've always had black outs because my mind doesn't like focusing on those things." I huff a little. "Look, I'm sure it'll be fine if you just let him do everything by himself. Pretend you're a rag doll." She suggested.

I frown, being a rag doll does not sound fun or the least bit comforting. "So what about you? They still having you entertain despite your condition?"

"They don't know about my condition and," I wait for her to pull a dress from her bag. If put on, the fabric would touch to the ground. It doesn't at all look like an entertainment dress, "Josh requested I wear this. I think he wants to talk about the kid."

"Josh? I thought you said they didn't know."

"Well Josh does because I think he planned this out."

My ears ring from the uncomfortable amount of information she trusts me with. My lips go numb. This is the other reason I usually hang with guys, they don't share secrets. I have a hard time keeping secrets.

**REVIEWS!**


	33. Chapter 33

**I won't be able to update for at least another week because I'm going to be in SANTA CRUZ! Haha, can't wait to hit the beach, even if it's going to be freezing. Anyways, so a week. Not that that will really seem any different**

**Chapter 33**

**Prim's pov:**

I look myself over in the mirror. I know it's vain, but I like to look at myself in the mirror. I lift my loose fitted Twinkie tee and stare at my belly. I use to like looking at my abs and my perfect hour glass, which I would pride myself in, but it's been diminishing into what looks right now as pure fat as the baby grows inside.

I look at my thick, athletic legs. At least I still have those.

I take off the jammies, my Twinkie shirt and a pair of pink polka dotted cotton shorts, I'd been wearing all day and put on the dress I'd received from Josh. I can't help but notice the comfort in the extra room around my belly. He totally knows.

I pull my hair into a twist and sweep on a single layer of mascara.

I admire myself in the full-length mirror. In this dress I don't look hot or sexy. I smile as I admit to myself that I am beautiful. An elegant kind of gorgeous. I can't help but say aloud how lucky Nick is.

I bite my lip awkwardly. This is really vain and selfish. Most girls are insecure but that's never been a problem with me. Granted, I know I'm not the prettiest thing, but I know I'm pretty and that confidence is what guys tell me they like about me.

When I would pass guys who I haven't met in the mall I've heard them judge me on a scale of 1-10. My lowest score being a 6 and my highest an 8. Out of the guys that do know me, or have, I involuntarily gulp, seen my body, I've only heard silence. They gawk. I've had a couple try to tell me I'm a nine or a ten but a quick "I don't care what I look like good or bad" look tells them to shut up.

I know looks will fade but even when they do, I don't care. When I'm out in the middle of no where living with Nick and a house full of kids, what will looks matter? They won't help me take care of my kids. They won't make my husband love me anymore after we're married. They won't even help me bring food on the table, because I am not taking prostitution as my occupation. Nope, it doesn't matter if I'm pretty or not, so long as I'm happy.

I pinch my arm to distract myself from the fact that Nick and I are entering the hunger games and only one will get out alive. Another selfish moment but I hope it's me. I want, no, I need out alive. I shake my head, that's not selfish. I only say this because I can't stand the thought of my baby dieing with me in that arena. I need out because I need to get the baby out. Even if that means my love, my brother, and all my friends have to die. I need my baby to live.

I hear a knock at the door. "Yes?" I turn my attention to the guard hanging in the doorway mouth wide open. What did I say, they gawk.

I can't help but let out a little giggle as he stutters over his words, "Uh, m-miss. They r-r-request you c-come out to the car for us to t-take you somewhere."

I study his face. He wasn't one of the usual guards to escort entertainers and something about him told me he had no idea where they were taking us, "You don't know do you?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"Know what Miss?" he had recovered from his smitten state.

"You don't know where or why they're taking us."

He shrugs his shoulders innocently, "And you do?"

I nod and give an almost cruel sounding laugh, "Oh I know." I turn back to the mirror and what would have been painful memories come to me as just one long continuous black out, "I know." I say gentler.

"I know I shouldn't say this because you're a contender, but you look amazing."

I mock my own words in a teasing way, "Oh I know," I take on the same soft tone, "I know."

He laughs, "And she knows. Something that's hard to find these days."

I look at his young face. He couldn't be any older than some of the older tributes. 17? Maybe 18? He looked like a generally nice guy who hadn't yet figured out the wrong he was helping his city commit.

He sighs heavily, "So if you know where you're going tonight do you mind telling me where it is? I might be able to meet you there."

I can't help but laugh maniacally, "Trust me, you don't want to be there," I think of sick perverts who get off on watching others, "Well maybe you do, but you can't be there!"

He looks kind of offended, "Sorry I didn't know." He sighs heavily, "To tell you the truth I don't know much of anything going on around here. I'm not even entirely sure what these games are all about."

My eyes flash in a wave of shock, confusion, and even a little sympathy. I know they are now gray. "You work for a city you know nothing about? Are you kidding me or do you really not know?"

"I'm just confused to as how you do know," his voice changes to that of a harsher, but still not unkind, tone.

Despite his patience with me I feel an uncontrollable anger. He doesn't know anything the Capitol has done to me, many of my friends, and even I don't know what they've done to my family. "Because I've known since my eleventh birthday!" I hold back tears as memories, real memories, flood back to me.

He walks over and puts a comforting hand on each of my shoulders, he looks over me with a sad, curious expression, "What did they do to you?"

I'm not sure why but I tell him everything.

**Any predictions on how this guard is going to play out in this story?**


	34. Chapter 34

**Sorry I know this was a lot longer than a week.**

Chapter 34

Kai's pov:

I stare from her face to her belly to something I'm trying to see behind her eyes. I look into her eyes for a long time. I'm trying to decide if she's telling the truth but I get lost for a minute. They are a deep blue color like that of an early night sky and are marbled with specks of gray and even a little green. I take notice to how when she tells me things of importance, like she is now, the grays reflect her serious mood. Or when she jokes, like she was a moment before, her eyes shine through with that majestic blue. The slight green will not be rid of no matter her mood.

"Well?"

I blink myself back to reality. I feel my cheeks go hot. I'm grateful that my dark stubble hides most of my blush. "Huh?" I ask lamely.

"Did you really not know about all of that or were you just making it up so you looked better?" She has her arms crossed over her chest and juts her hip out to one side. She taps her foot impatiently waiting for my reply.

"I really, honest to God, didn't know the Hunger Games involved death or that the Capitol was forcing kids into prostitution," I want to gag at the thought that many of them were still kids, then again I'm 19 but I still consider myself a child.

She eyes me over carefully. Finally she decides she believes me and releases her threatening stance. She sits down on the bed and though she's not crying, wipes make up out from under her eyes as if it were a tear.

"So, erm, are you going to…you know, tonight?"

She looks at me like I'm an idiot. I am an idiot! Why would I ask her that? It's personal! Finally she speaks, "Why? Does this dress make me look whorish?" I can tell by her tone that she is teasing me. The dress is much too modest for anyone to think that.

"No, not at all, but then why did you get dressed up?"

"I think the dad wants to talk to me in a more formal setting." She rests her hands on her still small belly.

"The dad. Didn't the Capitol make any rules about protection because we have condoms and birth control everywhere!" I throw my hands in the direction of the window behind Prim's head to motion to the whole city.

"Well yeah, the guys are suppose to wear condoms but he conveniently 'forgot,'" she uses her fingers to make air quotations around the last word.

I feel angry. Any person would feel angry after hearing this news but I mean I'm _really _angry. More angry than I should be. I feel my face flame red as my throat constricts. I have so many things I want to yell and say about that lowlife but all that comes out is, "What a dick."

She throws herself back into the luxurious plush pillows on the bed, "Tell me about it."

The walkie I keep clipped to the side belt of my uniform crackles with static. Shortly afterwards I hear my mentors voice, "Hey man, is the girl giving you trouble? Hurry up and bring her down here; we're all waiting on you."

I look to Prim. She nods toward my walkie motioning me to answer it. "Sorry, she, err, wasn't ready. We're coming down now." I hold the door open as she walks out. I flick of the lights and follow behind her.

**Nick's Pov:**

There is no train. This time we're riding in long, shiny cars they call limos. They're supposed to be for special occasions but they look quite ridiculous if you ask me.

Each limo holds eight people. That makes for four tributes and their guards. Not one tribute isn't an entertainer tonight, I feel sad for Prim as I look at the boy across from me, not even Thresh.

Nahla, Thresh, and I are all here. We're waiting for Prim and her guard. I imagine horrible things happening to her. I anxiously twiddle with my thumbs.

Nahla's guard is getting impatient and gets on his walkie, "Hey man, is the girl giving you trouble? Hurry up and bring her down here; we're all waiting on you." Man? Hey man? Her guard's a boy? All the awful things I'd envisioned before magnify in my mind. They've been taking forever, he's a guy, Prim's beautiful, and she's undoubtedly wearing a skimpy outfit! I'm going to beat this guy straight!

The guard's walkie chirps as a young man's voice comes in through the receiver, "Sorry, she, err, wasn't ready. We're coming down now." I heard his hesitation, he's lying. She was ready when he got there and it was her outfit that made him loose it with her! Either that or he was telling the truth. She wasn't ready and was still changing when he walked through the door. Then he lost it!

Nahla gives me a concerned look as I realize my eye is twitching slightly and my breathing is increasing rapidly. I try to give her a look that says I'm fine but instead I feel my eye twitching away. I try to press myself back into my seat to steady my breathing but it won't work.

"Nick, are you okay?"

I try to give Nahla a response but all that comes out is a high pitched wheeze.

My guard puts a hand on my shoulder, "Calm down will you? What is your problem?"

Again when I try to respond a high pitched note escapes my lips. My breathing increases more so.

I look out the car window to see Prim and a tall, athletic, strong, sick-minded man leave the building. They make their way over to the car. Prim's facial expression holds that of sorrow and the guard's is that of concentration and deep thought. He's recalling what he's done to her! My breath quickens more so until I can only exhale. He takes the seat next to me in the car. My head grows dizzy from lack of oxygen to my brain. There are so many things I want to say to this lowlife but all I can get out is, "You're a dick!" then I pass out.

**Haha, sorry I was feeling a little bored and my favorite word lately has been, you guessed it, dick! Anyways, sorry for not having the story progress anywhere this chapter, I just wasn't feeling it. REVIEWS!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Wow, it's been about a month. Sorry. But hey, SCHOOLS OUT! That means I should be able to update more frequently, so yay!**

Chapter 35

Nick's pov:

I sit on my living room couch and watch a documentary of past hunger games victors. As much as no one liked those times, or the games, the winners sure made their mark on history.

My own mother was on TV as she was a victor. I watch the host interview her in our kitchen. I can't help but give a little laugh as I see me in the background making myself some waffles. My mom begged me to stay out of the kitchen while they were filming but I was hungry. Not to mention I needed to be nearby in case she went into one of her fits.

She only went into a very small tantrum but it was enough to get the host of the discovery show to leave and cut her clip short with a quick comment of, "Some victors are still haunted today."

A commercial comes on. I lazily stand and go to my kitchen to make myself some popcorn. I'm constantly eating, but any boy at age 11 is, we're growing. I get out the chocolate, poor myself a glass of milk, and run to the bathroom to pee. By the time I get back the microwave is at 3…2…1…BEEP. I smile at how much I got done before the timer went off. I pour the popcorn into a bowl and stir in the chocolate with a wooden spoon.

I hear the TV introduce the next victor, no two victors. I guess they got married or something. I step into the living room while continuing to stir in the chocolate. This pair sounds really interesting. I listen to them answer questions. The woman seems nice but there is an undertone that is a bit abrupt and seems a little intimidating but her husband makes up for it with excessive friendliness. By the look of the couch and coffee table, it looks like the interview is taking place in their living room.

Something catches my eyes on the stairs in the background. A girl, not much younger than me, is spying from under dark lashes on the banister. She lets her hair fall in perfect spirals over one shoulder. Her shocking dark blue eyes catch sight of the camera and she leaves in an embarrassed manner. I drop my popcorn. I listen to the bowl shatter on the hard wood. She was the single most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. And now she's gone! It never bothered me before but now I desperately wish we had a DVR so I can rewind it and pause the picture on her.

I run to my neighbor's house. We've only been to his house once, for dinner when I was eight. I remember how he had a recorder. I burst through the door, "Bert, please tell me you recorded the Victor Documentary Bert!"

He looks at me with an almost panicked expression on his face. He turns on the TV and throws me the remote, "Yeah, I did. Why? What's the matter?"

I fast forward through the images then pause it on her adorable face, "Because I've seen an angel."

My eyes flutter open as I take in my angel, now years older but only more beautiful.

"Nick, you passed out. We got in the car, you freaked out, then you fainted. I think you thought I was in trouble but I'm fine I swear. All I want to know is are you ok?" I let my previous thoughts about that sick guard subside with her reassuring voice. And her eyes are grey so that's a good sign that she's not lying.

Out of no where I take notice to how close she is to me. She's so close to me she's practically sitting on my lap and it takes all my willpower not to kiss her right here and now. I know how embarrassed people can get when others show their affection for each other in public and I don't know that I'd be able to restrain myself from letting it go to far-aww, screw it, with the Games approaching, I know our moments together are numbered. I pull her towards me for a long passionate kiss. At first she seems confused but soon she's returning the kiss. Our mouths synchronize and I pull her closer. She, of course, is the one to pull away, "Glad to see you're ok," she says with a smirk.

"I was dreaming about the first time I saw you, I'm great!"

"On the train?" she makes a face like she might be sick. It's not a day either of us like to remember.

"No, I was watching you on television. You were hiding by the stairs' banister in your house while your parents were being interviewed, looking as cute as ever." I smile as I bring the memory again to my mind.

She returns the lost-in-thought smile, "The first time I saw you, you were making waffles," she lets loose a laugh, "That was the moment I knew I wanted to be with you."

I pull her in again for a kiss. I'm not sure where the romance was in admitting that I won her heart by food but it seemed like the right time to finish that kiss.

We are pulled apart by an older guard, my guard. He nods for Prim to take a seat and mutters something about her being just like her mother. He doesn't seem annoyed by it, just like he's stating a fact.

The limo drives and drops us off one by one. Our guards open the car door for us while we make our way up to the door. First Nahla gets off. She rings her hands around her wrists nervously but her face still seems emotionless. When her host opens the door he seems more than pleased by her looks. He can barely contain himself really. She's pulled in before she gets the chance to look one more time at the cab.

Prim leaves next. I don't know why it hurts so much more this time, but watching her walk up the granite steps of the mansion makes a lump catch in my throat. Something seems familiar about this house. The way the rock walls reflect ridiculous amounts of light but in a classy way, the way a chunk of stair is missing from the bottom step, very unusual for a Capitol residence. Something about this strangely eerie place is giving me a bad vibe about tonight. Something tells me Prim is in for the night of her life… you know, in a bad way.

My eyes search the lawn and I see a garden gnome. I hate that gnome, always have. It stands tall and proud leaning leisurely on a shovel. It's smug grin spread across its face. Every time I see it I hear its imaginary voice in an Irish accent mocking me saying "Your girlfriend is right inside those doors getting screwed by anyone and everyone but you. Why; because you wanted to wait. Wait! No one else is waiting…they're having their way with her right now and there's nothing you can do about it."

Of course I'd always answer it, "I want what's best for Prim. Neither of us would be able to handle the pressure of carrying Capitol work home. We need to keep things as separate as possible."

"Keep it separate? Yeah, that's it," I didn't like the sarcasm in this gnome's voice, "Truth is, you're too chicken to do it."

"Chicken? No, that's not it. You see, I have morals. Of which include waiting for marriage."

"You're afraid you don't really love her."

I know that couldn't be it. I loved her since the first day I laid eyes on her, "If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's my love for Prim."

"You fear she might actually like someone else forking her."

"Well naturally. But I just remind myself that she loves me, not them."

"But sometimes you wonder if that's enough to keep you together. You wonder if your love is that strong."

"Like I said, I love Prim with all my heart."

"Yes but does she love you?"

"Well, of course, she tells me everyday."

"But does she mean it or is she humoring you?"

This one catches me off guard, "She means it," I pray this ceramic gnome doesn't hear the falter in my unspoken voice.

"Ahh, but does she?"

"She means it," my voice is an octave too high, I try to correct myself, "She means it, I'm sure of it."

"Then why is she hiding something from you?"

The gnome had me beat. As much as I love Prim and at least assume she loves me too, something has been up since we've been reunited. She gives Lily and Nahla secretive sideways glances. She doesn't talk as much as she usually does and everything she does say usually comes back to food. She is not acting much like herself but at the same time she is.

I watch the door open and Josh is standing there. I curse aloud, that's why it seemed so familiar! Out of pure anger and frustration I leap from my seat in the car. I run across the gravel walkway and up to the front door. She is already inside and the door is closed. I pound at it helplessly but there is no way he will answer the door with that wondrous creature inside. I let out a furious yell.

My guard is starting to emerge from the limo, calling me back. I turn toward him my face red with the exertion of that episode.

I stomp my way back to the car but not before I kick the gnome.

**Again, sorry for the wait. And I know I've been keeping the story from progressing for a while but I was feeling garden gnomes. Well next chapter I finally am going to have Prim and Josh. **

**REVIEWS!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Sorry about the wait, I was camping! Again though, sorry.**

Chapter 36

Prim's pov:

It was unbearable to listen to Nick's pounding fists hitting the doors over and over again. "Go, please just go," I keep pleading to myself. After what seems forever, the repetitive thud against the wood stops. Suddenly, I wish they'd return. Knowing what I might go through tonight, I don't want to have to do it alone. I want him here by my side. I want him to give my hand that reassuring squeeze like he did the first day of school. I want his arms wrapped protectively around me with him whispering in my ear, "We can leave. We don't have to stay for this. If you want, we can leave." But of course, for tonight, none of these things will happen. I have to do this alone.

Josh takes my hand and twirls me around so he can get a good look at me in this elegant dress. "You look beautiful. The dress really suits you. You both appear to be… glowing."

I clench my jaw and practically spit out the words, "Thanks, that's very _kind _of you," I don't even try to cover the venom in my voice at calling this man kind.

We stand there in a long silence. Finally Josh clears his throat, "Will you come eat with me in the dining room?"

He sweats like he's nervous. Or maybe he feels some what guilty. I shake my head, he is not guilty. That's not his style. He would think things all the way through before making his decision to do something. Stupid little douche nugget has to think things through; I bet he's always got a plan. I have to give him props though for I also bet he has no regrets.

Nervous. I play around with the thought of this cocky dick face being nothing but nervous. I'd be nervous too if I were him. Being pregnant, I've found a crazy new strength and I've been itching to try it out with a punch to his little pretty boy face. I think of my insults: douche nugget, dick face, pretty boy; I shake my head and give a muted laugh. I really need to think of better insults but whatever, as long as I don't say any out loud I won't embarrass myself and they help me vent my anger to feel better.

I return my thoughts to his question, "Uh, I already ate."

"Well, wouldn't like anything to eat? I'm sure you're starving," you know, eating for two and all.

It pisses me off how he can get in my head like that. "I'm not hungry," I lie trying to make him mad to even our playing fields.

It works. He bites his lower lip in what seems to be annoyance, "Well why don't you join me at the table that way if you change your mind you can always take some food. Maybe you can even take some with you and share it with that boy that's always staring at you," my face flushes red hot at his teasing but then he adds more to himself, "Of course I can't really blame him, you're so damn beautiful." I grow a little confused. Is he making fun of me or is he actually trying to be nice? I brush it off.

He leads me through his kitchen back to the behind room that I know to be his dining room. His long elegant table is decorated with white cloth, candles, fashionable bowls of gorgeous fruit, and all of my favorite Capitol foods. There's a bean salsa dip he's caught me eating by spoonfuls instead of with the appropriate chips or salad. There's a dish of chicken and harvest vegetables swimming in a creamy spicy sauce that varies in colors each time it's made that he's caught me, when I thought he wasn't looking, lick from my plate once before. There's delectable finger foods such as miniature sandwiches, skewered meat and grilled vegetables, crab and cream cheese filled wontons, jalapeno poppers, stuffed mushrooms, and more that I couldn't stop popping into my mouth every chance I got at the party in which he proposed to me. There was a dish I know he'd seen me steal from his fridge numerous times before. It was delicious in a strange, unorthodox way and he'd invented it himself: pears and onions sautéed in a frying pan and sprinkled with brown sugar. I remember him helping me make it once when my stomach wouldn't stop growling at midnight. I stared in awe and surprise. Not because of all the food, not because that with this last dish I'd realized he made all the food himself, but because at the end of the table where I was undoubtedly suppose to sit, there was a side bowl and a box of Cap'n Crunch.

I turned to look at him then back at the food. A little confused as to if my eyes were really telling the truth, "Josh, how? Why? This is amazing, no it's spectacular, I can't believe you…"

While I was stumbling over my words he sat down at the table and motioned me to do the same. With a small chuckle he says, "You didn't think I paid attention after all these years did you?" I would have answered or apologized for my ignorance or done something but my mouth was already full of a million different flavors as I shoveled bite after bite into my mouth so I just responded with an "Mmmhmm."

He nods in approval at my appetite but warns me to slow down so I don't get sick and mentions that there's still dessert.

I look up from my plate and swallow my mouthful of food to clear my mouth. I say my first words since dinner started, "Dessert? Oh is it cream puffs? Or fondue, or is it pudding pie. Are there éclairs? Because if there's éclairs you know I won't be able to control myself."

He just laughs and shakes his head. His elbows sit on the table and he rests his jaw on locked hands raised to my eye level. "There's all of that plus more."

I nearly shriek with delight but then I remember. This man purposely got me pregnant for reasons beyond me. He is not a good person. Suddenly, I'm glaring daggers at him and push my plate away from me, "I don't want anymore of your food," I say with disgust.

He nods in an understanding way, "So you know it was me?"

"I figured that out a long time ago. What did you think would happen? I'd get knocked up and then agree to marry you? Why would I marry such a conceited, revolting, self centered dick face like you?" Dick face, forgot about how stupid my insults sound out loud.

I keep yelling and screaming the worst things I can think of at him but he doesn't respond. He just lets me scream out my anger without any reaction out of him and that just makes me even more pissed off. After a good ten minutes of me throwing a fit I stop. I am now standing, my fists clenched, my face red, my jaw clenched, and I'm breathing like I'd just ran a marathon. "You done?" he asks as politely as he can. I stand there panting in reply. "Do you want to hear my side of it or do you want to just accept your own accusations that I'm this awful evil man?"

He waits patiently for my response as I catch my breath. "I don't want to hear anything from you!"

"Okay," he says very matter -of-factly and excuses himself from sitting. He makes his way over to me. At first I'm afraid he might slap me, but instead he picks up several plates of food and takes them into the kitchen. I see that through the open doorway he's putting the food in plastic containers incase I want to take it back to the training center. At first I want to yell at him to not bother packaging it, that I won't eat anything of his, but the food tasted so good and I'm still too out of breath to speak. I watch for several minutes as he clears the table, packages the leftovers for me and then starts bringing in plates of dessert. He sits and begins nibbling at a piece of cobbler.

I sit as calmly as I can and swallow my pride as I take a bite of a rich chocolate cake. How can he be so okay with this? The reason he called me here tonight was to explain himself and I said I didn't want to hear it so he says okay? _Okay?_ He just leaves it at _okay_. Curiosity starts to build inside of me, finally I blurt out my undying question, "What is it? Your side of it I mean."

He puts down a jar of jelly preserves he was spooning onto his plate, "You sure you want to hear it?" he asks with a raised eyebrow. "Because there are some parts you're not going to like."

I bite my lips together and nod.

"You can't interrupt me when I tell you."

This might be hard but I agree.

"Prim, I love you." I begin to protest with snappy remarks about how someone that loved me wouldn't do this to me or put me in this situation but I hold my tongue remembering I agreed not to interrupt him. "I love you more than you know," he continues, "I knew the Capitol was growing stronger and was going to begin taking over the districts. I also knew a girl as stubborn and hotheaded as you wouldn't be able to resist trying to rebel or trying to fight back," he gives a one noted laugh, "So I proposed to you. I was hoping you would accept without thinking you had a choice. I was hoping I could get you to move in the Capitol with me so you wouldn't get hurt when they started taking over but you fell for that boy. There was no way you could leave him. You love him about as much as I love you." He closes his eyes for a minute like he's pained, "I would never dream of splitting you up and tear you from happiness but I was growing concerned for your safety hence my rash behavior that night. I knew you wouldn't want to see me again so I didn't ask the Capitol for your company. I learned through gossip in the city that the Hunger Games were back on this summer. I knew that you'd be a tribute. There's no way they'd let you go on living with all the trouble you caused them so I called a friend in for a favor."

I raise a suspicious eyebrow, "A favor?"

He closes his eyes and turns his head away from me, "I asked him to get you pregnant."

"So you're not the father?"

"No."

"But what about that morning I couldn't find a condom wrapper?" I blurt out.

He looks at me like I'm crazy, "I do clean up after myself Prim."

I blush. I'd never thought to look in the trash. "Okay so now I'm pregnant, how is this going to protect me?"

"Do you really think the Capitol would endanger the life of Capitol children?"

"I'm not Capitol." I say dumbly.

"But you're pregnant with a Capitol man's child. They'll let you out of the Games as soon as they know."

"So you really did do this to help me."

"Like I said, I love you Prim."

"There's just one problem to this plan."

He looks at me a bit confused, "What's that?"

"I can't tell them."

"And why not?"

"Because I can't bare to hurt Nick."

**There, you finally got the chapter with Josh. Not as bad of a guy as you people thought huh. I want some reviews.**


	37. Chapter 37

**I want to clear things up because a lot of you were very confused. In Chapter 22, Prim entertains for a man that is not Josh. As you found out last chapter, that was Josh's friend. As for those of you saying the Capitol doesn't care about killing children, they are very against killing infants. In Catching Fire, when Katniss is supposedly pregnant, the residents cry for her to be let go and not enter the games. Since the child in this story actually belongs to a Capitol man and the Capitol does not kill their own people, they will most probably let Prim out of the games so Capitol blood isn't shed.**

**Hope that cleared things up for you. If not, message me and I'll find a better way to explain.**

**Chapter 37**

**Nick's pov:**

I sit at the end of the bed in nothing but my boxer shorts. I wring my hands anxiously together.

"Finnick," I cringe at the name. I start to have flashbacks of my mother. For a second I think this woman is my mother. I throw up a little in my mouth before I remind myself she is not.

Suddenly I become very home sick. I was enjoying freedom from taking care of my mom but deep down, not necessarily my heart, but right below it, aches like a little boy who's gone to a friend's sleep over before he's ready to spend the night away from his family. I miss talking to my mom when she's lucid, the little jokes we share. I miss making her breakfast every morning. I miss hearing her stories of stupid things my father has done. And quite honestly, I miss comforting her when she throws her hands over her ears in a fit. Not that I'll ever miss her mistaking me as Finnick, but I do miss taking care of her.

"Finnick," the woman repeats. I take a new fondness to this name. My mom's not around and there's nothing to say she'll ever return. My dad was amazing from stories I've heard and he's a fierce warrior from what I've seen in the tapes. His words at the end of his tape ring through my ears, "I'm going to hell." I think of what I will have to do when my games begin. All the massacre and killing, "Guess I'll be joining you." I say aloud.

"What are you talking about Finnick?"

I turn to face this woman. Her skin is a light shade of lavender and gold glistening tattoos make delicate designs all across her body. She looks like a mutant but I'm sure here she is very beautiful. "I was just thinking to myself."

She bites at a finger in a way that she must think appears seductive but just makes me think of cute little Prim hiding behind the staircase. "What were you thinking about."

"A girl," I put very plainly.

"Oh, it wouldn't be little ol' me would it?" she says in a flirty voice.

"Actually no. I was thinking of my mother, then I thought of my father, now I'm just remembering this cute little girl and how simple life was before I knew the Capitol was still in existence."

"That's a lot to think about when you have me here." She tries to steer my attention back to her, but, like I said, my mind was elsewhere.

"It's a lot for me to think about period. Usually the little girl is all I think about. Of course, now she's grown up, but that only makes me think of her more."

"So how old is this little girl?" I can hear the jealousy in this woman's voice.

"Seeing as today is June 13," I make a mental note that once again I have missed my birthday on June 2. "I'm roughly two years older than her."

The woman gnaws at her bottom lip. All I can see in my mind though are Prim's pink, full lips. "So you two like have a thing?"

"We've been dating for about 6 months now and have been through more together than couples of 4 years can say so yeah, I'd say we have a thing," I no longer try to hide my disinterest in Capitol women. I'm going to die soon anyways, why lie anymore?

Her jaw drops in shock, "You spent the night with me while you had a girlfriend and you still say you two have a thing? Didn't last night mean anything to you?"

I shrug my shoulders, "Eh, not really. Not like I had a choice with the Capitol capable of killing this said little girl." I refused to give the woman Prim's name in fear she'll report my behavior. Not that I think they'd do anything with us already on our way into the Hunger Games, but just a precaution.

The lady looks like she's been punched in the gut, "But me, I mean it's me!" she throws her arms in front of her to gesture to her naked body. I guess I was right on my assumption that she is beautiful in the Capitol. I bet she's been told that too, just one too many times.

"Don't take this the wrong way but your just…not my type," that was the nicest way I could think to say it. Even if she is Capitol, I know how fragile girl's are about their looks and I don't want to permanently damage this woman by saying how horrific she looked to me.

"Not your type? What about me isn't your type?" almost like she's reading my mind she adds with an annoyed roll of her eyes, "And don't try to sugar coat it. I'm a big girl, I can take it."

She's hardly a big girl. She can't be any older than seventeen. "Okay, well, I'm not into the whole colored skin, lots of tattoos and stuff."

She rolls her eyes at me like I don't understand anything but all I see in my mind is how Prim rolls her eyes when I tease her. Her eyes. Her beautiful, mysterious eyes. I'm lost for a minute but the Capitol girl pull me back, "So what is your type?"

Prim. Prim. Prim. Hmm, let's see, Prim. But I also like, uh Prim. I think girls are pretty when they look like…Prim. They're personality must be like…Prim. Prim, Prim, Prim, Primalyn, PRIM! I smile at the thought of her beautiful face and give a low laugh at several memories of her that rush up to me. Kidnapping Lucy, our first kiss, teaching her to swim, hiding from the homeless in the community center. "I like more of the natural beauty type of thing," I go into a long description of exactly what Prim looks like, "I like it when girls have the confidence to wear their hair in its natural style. Like blond waves that hit at mid back. I don't like heavy make up. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind that girls do wear make up but I don't like it when they look totally fake. You have to keep it light enough that if you have freckles I can still see them," I smile at the thought of Prim's light freckles that spot across her cheeks. "I like when girls keep themselves healthy but not to the point where they look like they have a 7 year old's body. They need a little curve. I like when-"

"SHUT UP!" the girl explodes, "I get it ok? Strange district natural, that's your type. But what I meant was personality wise."

It's not like Capitol people to think about personality so this take me by surprise. "I like a girl that I can tell anything to. She's my best friend and I can do anything with her. She's my first pick for company. Every time."

The girl rolls her eyes again, "You sound like a moron but I get it I guess."

I hear the car pull up outside. The driver honks the horn a couple of times signaling to me that it's time to go. I grab some of my clothes that litter the ground and begin to leave.

"Finnick?"

"Yeah?" I say only turning part way to her.

"I'm sorry. If I'd known that you had a girlfriend I wouldn't have asked for your company."

Again I am taken by surprise. This is the first Capitol person I've met that has the decency to apologize that doesn't always put themselves first, "Thanks. You know, you're pretty cool."

She smiles like what I said is the most obvious thing in the world. I open the door. My hand is still on the handle when I hear her say, "Oh, and don't go near the caves."

I have no idea what she means but I know that it is something my brain will never let me forget.

**Was having a little writer's block so I really had to force myself to write. So instead of ruining an important chapter where we actually advance in the plot, I ruined this one where we don't advance in the plot. YAY! But seriously, I still want some reviews.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

I get in the limousine. Nahla's about as pale as a Polynesian girl can be. I look at her with sympathy and give a sad shake of my head. She opens her mouth to say something to me but nothing comes out. I give her a small pat on the shoulder. It's the only thing of comfort I can think to do.

We go pick up Thresh who doesn't look changed at all. Sure he looks like he's seen a rough night but it looks like he was the one being rough, not the one being roughed up. Weird. He stares straight ahead, as always, and has the faintest tilt upward on one corner of his mouth. He's smiling? Suddenly I grow afraid for what ever Capitol woman he was supposed to entertain last night.

We drive on and pick up Prim. She enters the car and catches sight of me. She huddles herself in my arms and rests her head on my shoulder. I press my nose in her hair to catch the faintest trace of gingerbread scent I know she's been using repeatedly from the fancy Capitol showers. I kiss the crown of her head and she gives a long sigh. I tighten my arms around her, "You all right?" I whisper in her ear.

She lets her head drop down to my chest, "I'll be fine. I'm just…processing."

I frown, my poor Prim. As we pull away from Josh's house I see the garden gnome laughing at me.

We take the ride in silence. Finally we return to the training/living quarters.

Tonight is the opening ceremonies out in the streets of Panem. We are immediately rushed back to our district floors so our stylists can get to work on us. My prep team pokes and prods and puts strange smelling stuff on my face so I don't get a stubbly beard when the games begin. After I'm at what they keep calling a Beauty Base Zero, my stylist comes in and introduces herself to me, "Hello Finnick I am Paulette and it is my pleasure to be your stylist in these games."

I sit in silence resisting the urge to correct her on my going by Nick. Like I said before, I've taken a new fondness to being named after my father and am actually liking when people call me this. It's something of pride I suppose or maybe just a good luck charm. My father survived the games, why can't I? Of course I can't survive I correct myself, if I survive Prim doesn't and I'm making sure Prim goes home. "Very nice to meet you Paulette. Any hints on what I'm to be wearing tonight?" I actually don't care but I thought I'd make polite conversation.

"No hints. It's a surprise!"

Paulette instantly gets to work on my make up. She spends hours 'highlighting my features' as she calls it. Turns out I'm not that into makeovers. Go figure right?

"And this is what you'll be wearing." She leaves the room and returns with a net. A net? She explains how it is the exact outfit my father had worn in the 75th Hunger Games for his opening ceremonies. She helps me dress and claps her hands in delight. "Oh you just look wonderful! It's like a flash from the past. You look wonderful Finnick! Truly wonderful!"

I try to smile at her compliment but I hear a scuffle happening outside the doors. I feel my eyebrows knit together in concern. I hear a whining and some incoherent speech. Suddenly a woman bursts through the doors into my room. Her hair falls limply around her face, her skin is considerably pale, and she is much thinner than the last time I'd seen her.

My stylist smacks herself in the forehead, "Oh shoot. They warned me not to say your full name."

My mother runs to me. She holds my face in both her arms and kisses me on the crown of my head, on my cheeks, I have to push her back when I realize she thinks I'm her husband. "Mom, Mom, it's me Nick. Nick, Nick," I repeat over and over but I'm not sure if it's for me or for her.

My mom opens her mouth like she wants to say something but nothing comes out. She gives me a strange smile and goes back to hugging me. I can hear her voice but only inside my head, I've heard too many of her rants before, "Oh Finnick, Finnick it's you! You're here! Please Finnick, never leave me again. Say my name Finnick, say my name!"

"Annie," I say granting her unspoken wish, "Annie, calm down. It's me, your son."

"Oh Finnick, Finnick! You have a son! Where is he? You must see him! He's a beautiful baby boy Finnick, you must see," that's what she should have said. But she's not. Why not? I grow confused. Why isn't she saying anything? Everything is in my head. I can tell by the expression on her face that she wants to say it but she physically cannot.

My mouth forms around the strange foreign word, "Avox. You're an avox." I say it more of to myself than to anyone. I feel my stare go blank and my mouth hang slack. My mother is an avox. Why? She's crazy. She's a crazy, frail, mentally disturbed Hunger Games survivor. Why is she an avox? I quickly come to the conclusion that it's more of my punishment than hers.

I don't even know if my mother knows the difference between freedom and this sort of imprisonment. When she's lucid I'm sure she does but most of the time she's this disturbed, broken woman.

I'm rushed out the door to be led to my chariot. I look behind me to see my mom paralyzed to the spot I left her. She's sobbing silently but violently. Her whole body convulses with each cry of pain. She thinks her husband is leaving her again. She's watching her husband leave her and is in pain over her abandonment.

I've heard of people dying by broken heart and I'm sure if my mom wasn't only half crazy she would have already done it. No one would be able to bare the pain of repeatedly watching what you think to be your husband leave you, push you away in disgust, watch him die. Anyone who is constantly bombarded with such sorrows would drop dead in a second.

Suddenly I don't see my mom as some fragile mentally disoriented figure but as somebody strong enough to fight her way through the pains of this world. She is someone who can take a hit, even an emotional one and still function in society…well half of the time. She is someone to admire.

My stare goes blank and my jaw goes slack but this time it's not in shock, it's in amazement. The corners of my mouth twitch until they reach a smile. I hold said expression through the rest of the night, through the chariot rides and all the way to bed. My mom really is a remarkable woman. She's a true fighter and I'm proud to say I'm related to her.

**Crazy writer's block on this story! It's so hard to write for it! So give me some reviews to make it a little easier. Hehehehe**


	39. Chapter 39

**Oh my sweet, sweet readers. I bet you thought I forgot about you huh? Well, surprise surprise; I haven't!**

**No, my computer's been broken. But now it's fixed haha! I'm so happy to be writing again! I think I might start crying… okay I'm not that emotional, but I did cry once because I made the most amazing truffles the world had ever seen by my own recipe. Hey…I was a little hormonal. Haha, okay, tmi but just as an advanced heads-up: even with my computer working I'm not going to be able to update as often as I'd like. I have a crazy school schedule this year so you can expect maybe one or two chapters every one or two weeks:P **

**love you guys! And oh how I've missed you!**

**Chapter 39(this is getting terribly long, isn't it?)**

An echoing pounding rings through my head like a bad hang-over. I clench my pillow over my head to block out the pesky noise trying to interrupt my sleep. The nuisance persists. "Nick, Nick!" the short nasally words of Lindy-Lou, the district escort, sound through my bedroom walls, "Nick, I already let you sleep in fifteen minutes! Come out and eat already!" she sounds like she's reaching the point of irritation in her nagging; now she knows how I feel with the rum-dum-dum of her rhythmic knocks.

I let out the loudest groan I can manage to let her know I'm awake. I jam my head out of the pillow's encasing and let my head fall quite harshly in contrast to the soft down of the luxury pillows. I stare up at the ceiling and give a heavy sigh. I muster up all the strength I never knew I possessed and pull myself up out of bed. I let out a shiver as the crisp morning air greets my bare chest. You think a city as wealthy as the Capitol would invest in heaters.

I pick up the crumpled gray v-neck I'd worn just a day or two ago at my reaping and pull it over my head. I scratch at a loose thread but quickly loose interest. This is my favorite t-shirt in the whole world for the sole reason that it's Prim's favorite t-shirt in the whole world. I remember our playful arguments over who would get to wear it in our mornings back at 4. It feels so long ago…

I let my eyes drift to the clock. It reads 9:15 but for all I care, it could be two in the morning. I try to think how late I stayed up last night. I think I came in around 6?

I had found a way to sneak out of my room and Prim and I had spent the night on the rooftop, huddled in each other's arms, talking whatever comes to our minds. Turns out Prim had crazy cravings of chocolate covered ham that had been lasting for three days. As I would never let Prim back in a kitchen after the cooking class finals, I discreetly whipped her up a batch of chocolate covered ham in the kitchen of the District 12 floor level. She ate every last bite and applauded my cooking expertise with a comment of "When we're married, I'll let _you_ cook for me and the kids." Then we both looked at our feet awkwardly as one of us, and I know and surely wish it's me, will be dead in a matter of weeks, Prim broke down crying, shut herself in her room, and I came back to my room after I made sure she fell asleep through the locked door. Once alone, I even allowed myself a couple of, very manly let me assure you, tears. Yes, I cry manly tears.

I open the door and see Lindy-Lou standing in the hallway waiting for me. She has on a short, skin-hugging black bandage looking dress. Then neckline comes down in a low v-neck, exposing nearly half of her fake, plastic breasts. She looks surprisingly tall this morning as I remember her last night to be of a petite figure. Then I notice she has on leopard print 6-inch heels. The design of the shoes flash me back to the night of "big entertainment", my group of friends and I running through the districts, sneaking onto the train, and ultimately the sight of Maple's lifeless body as she was murdered in cold-blood.

Lindy-Lou flashes me back to reality, "You're wearing that shirt _again?_"

I look down at the shirt, never wanting to forget all the memories it carries with it, "Yeah, why? What's wrong with it?"

"Did you even see the outfit we had hung up for you?" She keeps her elbow rested on her hip as she points one long, slender finger to my room behind me.

I was distracted by the obnoxiously bright red polish of her nails but eventually found the will power to look behind myself. On a hanger hanging on the outside of my closet was a pair of designer jeans and a light pinkish-purple v-neck. I cringed, "Er, I'm not really one of those guys big on wearing pink."

She roles her eyes and pushes past me into my room. She grabs the girlish fabric with one hand and motions toward it with the other, "It's periwinkle." She begins taking it off the hanger all the while murmuring under her breath just loud enough to make sure I hear, "Stupid boys, don't know fashion let alone how to tell pink from periwinkle."

She finally frees the cloth from the hanger and throws it at me. I catch it with my left hand. She sashays past me and tosses a lock of beach waved brown locks, a style usually only rocked by District 4 residents, "Get dressed and meet me and Nahla in the kitchen for breakfast."

I carefully pull the grey shirt off myself. I stare at the cloth in my hands. I hold it to my face and breathe it in deeply. It still smells of Prim from her overuse of it. I lay it down at the foot of my bed and kick off my jeans.

I pull the Capitol's shirt on, "Periwinkle," I say, mimicking a Capitol accent. I grab at the designer jeans on the hanger and walk out the door while still pulling them on. I reach the end of the hallway just as I finish putting them on. "Good morning everybody," I say with a ridiculously large smile. I nod to Nahla sipping at a mug of hot cocoa.

She smirks into her glass, "Sounds like someone got laid." I blush excessively. She, of all people, know that's not what happened. Still, I stutter over my response. "Relax Nicole," I ease the tension in my shoulders to her girlish nickname, "I know it was nothing of the sort." Her eyes flash across the room and Lindy Lou pushes into the bathroom probably to check herself out for the fourteenth time this morning, "All I was saying was you got in late last night."

I relax into my chair and grab a lemon glazed muffin, "Yeah, Prim and I were hanging out." She spits out her drink in an eruption of laughter. "Not like that! Get your mind out of the gutter!." She tries miserably to control herself, "Wow we're real mature," I say with an air of sarcasm but soon I am laughing too.

Lindy Lou steps back into the dining hall readjusting her breasts and with a fresh coat of a hot pink lipstick on, "Are you two done eating yet?" she asks with disgust. You can totally tell all she's thinking about is the calories we're putting in our bodies, "We're supposed to be to training by ten."

Nahla and I both stare at her blankly, then, deliberately ignoring her, turn back to our plates of food.

"It's already 9:30!" she explodes.

Nahla and I share quizzical looks across the table then turn our confusion towards our escort. Really, how long does an elevator ride take?

"I want you there early," she says in a slow tone like we're idiots that can't understand anything. She gives a wave of her perfectly groomed hands, "Com'n we're going," upon the lack of movement on our part she adds, "NOW!"

Nahla and I each grab another muffin and follow our district escort down the hall where we wait for the elevator. There's a semi-awkward silence from Lindy Lou as Nahla and I both busy our mouths with the muffins. There's a completely awkward silence, however, as the brother and sister of District 3 join us on the elevator.

I can see the boy shifting uncomfortably from side to side as the girl stands in hush. He opens his mouth on several occasions but shuts it before saying anything each time.

"Mondays," Nahla rolls her eyes, putting everyone out of their misery. She even gets a small laugh out of the District 3 escort.

"Just the start of a long week," the sister says, "For Friday: we die." I think she is being serious but the darkness of her tone raises a laugh out of all the tributes, including a shy scoff from her. The escorts just look pale at so morbid a topic.

The sister is tall and lean. She wears an expensive looking jean jacket over a cheap t-shirt I can tell is from her home district. The designer paired with the common must have been the compromise as she fought with her own escort about her wardrobe much like I did this morning. She stands confidently but not all together open to interaction with other people. She keeps her eyes fixed straight ahead, calmly waiting for the elevator doors to open. She doesn't even look away when she or anybody else speaks. Her jaw is rigid and made visible by her dark hair being pulled back into a high pony tail, a single natural curl to the whole mass. Her eyebrows pull together softly like she's always thinking about… something.

The doors open. She begins to step outside. Her brother, older by what looks about two years, puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. She almost indiscreetly shrugs it off with a turn of her upper body to look to the other gathering tributes but I can still tell she put thought into it, even if it was subconsciously. There's some sort of twisted angst between the siblings that has yet to be resolved.

"Come on you little sex demon, the elevator doors won't wait forever." I follow Nahla into the training center.

**I MISSED YOU GUYS! Please, miss me back! I want reviews!**


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